Workers at Pirelli Tyres will vote on a walk out today after a dispute over pay.

Pirelli Tyres, part of the Pirelli Group, offered its UK employees a 2.2% pay rise. More than 900 members of the Transport and General Workers' Union have rejected the offer, and will be balloted for industrial action starting today until August 3.

Peter Booth, T&G national organiser for manufacturing, said: "These are very good plants in a successful business which has been highly profitable for Pirelli. Members have worked hard, delivering improvements to make the tyre division one of the best in the group, and understandably feel they are worth more than the 2.2% on offer.

"The company should not seek to take their cost reductions out of our members' wages. The plants need support and investment, not a squeeze on pay.

"The union is backing the members' overwhelming rejection of the company's offer."

The members are based in Carlisle and Burton-on-Trent. The other trade union at Pirelli is Amicus, representing around 200 members, who is also balloting members for industrial action.