Last updated 05:16, Friday, 28 November 2008

A VOTE to strike by meat hygiene inspectors is unlikely to disrupt Christmas meat supplies in Cumbria, according to a Carlisle abattoir.

West Scottish Lamb at Kingstown employs most of its inspectors though an agency and not the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS), many of whose workers have voted to strike.

Inspectors monitor every abattoir to make sure they work within strict regulations governing the industry.

MHS has traditionally supplied all the inspectors but in recent years many have been replaced by cheaper agency staff.

Paul Nicholson, technical manager at West Scottish Lamb, said: “We would be able to fill the gap with agency workers if there was a strike.

“I’m sure that the Christmas meat supply in this area will not be affected.”

MHS inspectors who are Unison members have voted to strike over work patterns and overtime.

Unison, which represents 1,000 MHS workers, has warned that the strike would “seriously disrupt” supplies of meat to supermarkets in the pre-Christmas period.

The union plans to meet on Monday to discuss the next move.