Union bosses today urged Ford workers to back them and vote for strike action in this week's crunch ballot.

Up to 2,000 south Essex workers are deciding whether or not to support union bosses in a dispute over pensions.

Work to rule, overtime bans and strike action are on the cards if members back union bosses and reject the company's latest offer.

The ballot is the latest wrangle to accompany annual pay and condition talks between Ford and members of the clerical union ACTS and the science and manufacturing union MSF.

The unions have accepted Ford's latest pay offer but negotiators have rejected the company's proposal to merge the pension funds of hourly-paid and salaried staff.

Salaried staff, consisting of ACTS and MSF members, say the decision will hit their benefits.

The ballot closes on Monday and the result will be announced the following Wednesday. Senior negotiator Colin Spence said he was confident of support.

He said: "The last thing we want is to go out on strike or take industrial action but the show of strength backing the negotiators is very high."

Negotiations started in December and a deal in most areas has been thrashed out, including a minimum three-year four per cent pay rise.

However, the two unions claim they are being treated less favourably than their hourly-paid staff and foremen counterparts.

The two sides have separate pension funds with the ACTS and MSF pot in surplus.

Ford has proposed merging the two funds to save administrative costs, which the union estimates to be £155 million needed over 13 years, to bring the hourly-paid fund into surplus - a move opposed by ACTS and MSF.

Mr Spence said: "That fund is being plundered by Ford and we feel we should be entitled to the benefits of that surplus now.

"It's not all about money, it's about being treated fairly and equally in negotiations with our hourly-paid and foreman colleagues."

Workers at Dunton and Trafford House in Basildon, Aveley and Brentwood are being balloted.

Up to 4,000 staff are affected nationally.

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