Hundreds of workers at Porton Down could strike over a pay battle with the government that has lasted more than a year.
More than 1,000 union members are being balloted for a walkout at the government’s Defence, Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), whose HQ is the renowned military lab in Wiltshire.
They were offered a “derisory” 2% pay rise by the government from June 2020, before most civil service pay was then frozen the following year.
While this reflected the offer elsewhere in the Ministry of Defence, the Prospect union argued staff are paid “significantly less” than other MOD workers so a 2% rise did nothing to close the gap.
The Prospect union said chemical and biological weapons experts had been “taken for granted for too long” and a 2% rise had now been “imposed” by the employer.
Deputy general secretary Garry Graham said: “Prospect members at DSTL play a vital role in maintaining national security.
“Morale is at an all time low and if something doesn’t change they will start to look at opportunities elsewhere.
“This is not expertise that can easily be replaced – losing it could constitute a threat to the future security of our nation.”
DSTL, an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence, has other sites in Hampshire and Kent as well as Porton Down.
Shadow defence minister Chris Evans added: “Staff at DSTL do highly skilled work that is vital to our national security.
“The government and DSTL needs to recognise this vital work and reach a settlement that reflects the service they give keeping this country safe.”
The ballot asks for union members’ views on strike action, as well as on the alternative of industrial action short of a strike.
It is due to last for around a fortnight.
An MOD spokesperson said: “We are aware of the balloting on industrial action taking place at Dstl among members of the trade union Prospect.
“Our Dstl employees are highly skilled and carry out specialist work critical to national security. We value all our staff and work hard to ensure they receive salaries and benefits befitting of their contribution.”
