A potential strike by workers at the Food Standards Agency (FSA) which could have led to meat shortages during the festive period has now been averted.
The three-week ballot of FSA employees, which closed on Monday 31 October, fell short of the numbers required to bring about strike action.
Staff at the food safety watchdog consisted of several hundred carcass inspectors, vets, and office-based staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
If a strike had gone ahead, meat supplies during the festive season would have been impacted, UNISON, which represents the staff, had warned.
A UNISON spokesperson said: “Staff showed strong support for taking action over their inadequate pay offer.
"But by the narrowest possible margin, turnout didn’t meet the legal threshold.”
The outcome means FSA staff will receive a 2-5% pay increase.
