A ballot closes on Friday to decide whether 450 workers at homelessness charity Shelter will take strike action.
The ballot follows an imposed three per cent consolidated pay increase in April and a one-off £1,500 cost-of-living payment.
Unite the Union called the pay rise “insulting”, while Shelter said the one-off payment meant non-management staff would effectively receive a pay increase of between 8 per cent and 12.3 per cent.
Balloting for the industrial action began last week and will conclude on 4 November. The result of the ballot will dictate if the strike will go ahead.
Unite is balloting 450 Shelter staff members. The charity’s latest annual accounts said it had 1,335 staff overall.
Unite regional officer Peter Storey said: “Unite’s members are balloting for industrial action as a last resort but this imposed pay deal is insulting.
“Workers have explored every possible avenue but Shelter’s management has repeatedly blocked them and refused to enter into negotiations.
“Strike action will inevitably cause severe disruption to the vital services that Shelter operates but this dispute is entirely of the charity’s own making.”
Tim Gutteridge, director of finance and strategy enablement at Shelter, said: “While we hope that this action can be averted, we respect people’s right to strike, and will remain in regular contact with the union.
“We recognise the contribution made by all of our colleagues in our shared mission of ending the housing emergency.
“Our aim remains meeting the needs of our colleagues, while also ensuring we can deliver our frontline services and campaign work for the people we exist to serve, during these challenging and uncertain times.”
Unite’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “Three per cent on pay for Shelter’s workers when real living costs run at more than four times that rate is just unacceptable.
“Our members, who are dedicated to assisting vulnerable people, are now finding it impossible to keep their own heads above water.”