VAUXHALL Motors workers will vote today or tomorrow on whether to strike after a 50/50 split over a revised pay offer.
Some staff at the Ellesmere Port plant have threatened to walk out in a row over pay and conditions, while others favour less drastic forms of industrial action.
The pay deal for workers producing the best-selling Vauxhall Astra would be worth 3% in the first year and the rate of inflation in the second.
But staff oppose switching to monthly pay, pay cuts for contractors and seeing contracts for temporary workers cut from six months to three.
At 6am yesterday, officials from the Transport & General Workers Union (TGWU) presented employees with a revised offer from management.
Both sides refuse to say what the new offer includes.
Mick Whitley, the TGWU's regional industrial organiser, based in Liverpool, said: 'At the meeting on Tuesday morning, Vauxhall's revised pay offer was put to our membership. The result was straight down the middle - 50% were for it, 50% were against it.
'Members are still pretty angry about the pay offer package but are realistic with what we have been able to negotiate so far without resorting to industrial action.
'But we have now reached the end of the line and a decision must be made.'
He added: 'Because the vote on Tuesday was split down the middle, the shop stewards felt the best thing to do was to ballot our entire membership at the plant again.
'This will be carried out late on Wednesday or early Thursday, depending on shift times.
'We will then know for sure what we are doing in terms of action some time later on Thursday.'
Vauxhall spokesman David Crundwell would not be drawn on the revised pay deal, saying: 'Negotiations were ongoing in the lead-up to Tuesday.
'The ball is now in the union's court. We await their decision on Thursday.'
Mr Crundwell said bosses would not receive the results of another ballot by employees in the AEEU union until March 28.
He added: 'Our number one priority is towards our customers buying the new Astra.'
