WORKERS at Malvern defence firm QinetiQ will vote on whether to take strike action after union negotiations over a pay-freeze ended in deadlock.

Prospect, which represents about a third of QinetiQ’s 1,600 Malvern workers, had been in talks with the company since the freeze was announced last month.

Members will now be balloted about possible courses of industrial action, including a strike, with the results expected to be announced on Monday, June 1.

National secretary for Prospect David Luxton said: “QinetiQ’s justification for the pay freeze does not hold up to close scrutiny. It continues to be a highly profitable company both internationally and in the UK with a back-log of secured work worth £5.4 billion.”

He questioned the decision to pay bonus entitlements to the firm’s directors and senior managers.

“If they are to be rewarded for performance for the previous twelve months, then why should the same principle not apply to all QinetiQ employees?,” he added.

David Bishop, spokesman for QinetiQ, which is based in St Andrew’s Road, said: “We’re extremely disappointed by the decision taken by the national executive committee of the trade union and are committed to continuing constructive discussions on pay.

"Our decision not to award a blanket inflationary annual pay increase is the right one in the current economic circumstances."

He said the company would be increasing the pay of its highest performing employees, as well as its apprentices, and would also be introducing a profit share scheme in this financial year.