EALING parking enforcement officers are set to be balloted for strike action, Unite the Union has said.

Nearly 40 officers, who have been designated as key workers and who have worked throughout the national lockdowns, are being balloted for strike action after Serco, the company they work for, offered severance to elected Unite representatives and activists.

Unite says this was done in order to undermine trade union organisation.

The strike ballot will open on Friday, March 12 and will close on Tuesday, April 6.

If workers vote for industrial action, then strikes could begin later next month.

Serco is accused of trying to instigate a 'botched and unjustified' restructuring and redundancy programme in 2019, through minimal consultation with Unite.

Unite also accuses Serco of refusing to negotiate a new absence management policy for employees working on the Ealing contract.

Unite believes the present policy is being used to unfairly dismiss employees and should be renegotiated.

Unite regional officer Clare Keogh said: "Our members voted by 100% to strike last year and prevented unnecessary job losses by Serco.

"Now the company is attempting to sneak unreasonable changes in through the back door.

"Staff will not accept the targeting of reps, activists and others with severance offers in order to weaken trade union organisation and undermine negotiations.

"The strength of feeling amongst the membership is such that there was no other choice but to call a strike ballot.

"It is inevitable that any strike action will result in severe disruption on Ealing's already over congested roads.

"Further escalation of this dispute can be avoided if Serco drops its attempts to split staff and returns to the negotiating table with a new set of plans that are acceptable to our members."

Serco has been approached for comment.