GREENE King brewery staff in Abingdon are looking at going on strike over a 'paltry' two per cent pay rise.

Workers at the company’s distribution centre, just off the A34, are among 200 over the country who are also members of the Unite union who have now rejected the pay deal for 2019/2020.

As a result, the union is now set to ask its members – 250 of whom work at Greene King around the country – to vote on whether to go on strike.

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The controversy comes after Greene King shareholders this week overwhelmingly voted in favour of a £4.6bn takeover of the company by CK Asset Holdings, which has also prompted fears about job security.

Regional Unite officer Mark Jaina said: “Our members are fed up with being palmed off with a paltry two per cent rise which has been the norm for the last six or seven years.

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“That figure is way below the soaring cost of living and, as a result, our members have seen a serious erosion of their incomes in real terms during that period.

“A new senior management team is playing hardball and Unite won’t tolerate this insulting treatment on pay. We expect to start balloting for industrial action by the end of the month."

A Greene King spokesperson said: “We are disappointed Unite has chosen to reject our pay offer as well as other benefits. This offer is fair and consistent across the brewing division."