Workers at engineering firm BOC Edwards have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action over pay.

Union members voted for the walkout in a secret postal ballot at the industrial vacuum pump manufacturer.

More than 300 blue-collar staff were polled at sites in Crawley, Shoreham and Eastbourne.

The Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU) revealed last night that respondents voted five-to-one in favour of an all-out strike and six-to-one for lesser action such as a refusal to work overtime.

A total of 306 AEEU members and 32 GMB members voted.

Management at BOC Edwards was informed of the result.

Kevin O'Gallagher, a union representative with Amicus-AEEU, said: "This demonstrates to the company that everybody has lost faith and trust in it telling us the truth.

"The company is telling us all this deal is all it can offer but it is still very profitable and has made pay awards in other areas far in excess of what was offered to our members."

Mr O'Gallagher said the full-time union officers and main convenors would meet tomorrow to draw up an action plan.

He said they had offered the company a meeting next week to see if the dispute could be resolved without industrial action.

He said the conciliation service ACAS could be approached.

BOC employs 10,000 people in the UK and a further 30,000 overseas. It operates at five sites in Sussex.

A company spokesman said: "BOC Edwards has not had an industrial dispute for a long time.

"Our rates of pay and terms and conditions of employment are among the best in the area.

"We regret that on this occasion, the employees involved have voted to support strike action. We have just received this information and are reviewing the situation."

Thursday July 10, 2003