Jaguar's New Year strike?

More than 1200 Jaguar workers in the UK are to be balloted over strike action this week. The members of the Amicus union are dissatisfied with the company's recent pay offer. The postal ballot opens today and will close on January 6.

If the vote is for strike action it will be the first serious industrial unrest at the prestige carmaker in 25 years.

The news follows hard on the heels of Land Rover's announcement that it is to lay off 1000 workers over the next 12 months.