Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) working for the NHS Pensions Agency in Lancashire have voted overwhelmingly for industrial action over the effects of plans to privatise the agency.
About 80% of those taking part in the ballot voted in favour of a one-day strike on 20 January.
The agency, which looks after the pensions of 1.25 million NHS staff, is set for privatisation this year. The union fears that there will be job losses, cuts to terms and conditions and that service levels will diminish.
The PCS is holding a meeting for members at the NHS Pensions Agency on Friday (13 January).
Joanne Leadbetter, PCS chairperson for the Pensions Agency Branch, said: “Interim management is already talking about redundancies even though there has been no bid submitted by the contractor and no identification of how services will be delivered if jobs are cut.
“Should this go ahead staff are seriously concerned about the detrimental impact this decision would have on their job security and future employment prospects.”
