By JANE FIELD

AMBULANCE workers in Warrington being balloted over allegations of unfair treatment by management - which could lead to strike action.

Paramedics and other staff members of Mersey Regional Ambulance Service (MRAS) are to be asked vote on whether they agree that the management has "completely failed" to treat their staff fairly with proper respect.

The issue centres, staff claim, on the near-total failure of the Human Resources department to respond adequately to staff grievances and appeals.

The union refers to examples of people who have waited for up to a year for their problem to be heard and of almost eight months for disciplinary appeals to be heard. But the grievance procedure states that that they must be heard within 10 working days.

"The staff have had just about enough of this and this union is now going to take action to try to have the problem solved," said Ray Carrick, assistant general secretary of the Ambulance Service Union.

"The state of this matter contrasts sharply with the speed and efficiency with which management expedite disciplinary matters.

"When it is a case of a matter, no stone is left unturned in their efforts to deal with that situation in the very shortest space of time."

MRAS Regional Director of Operations Mike Jackson says that grievances and appeals can be very complex issues and the trust is assessing the small number of outstanding cases.

"We are both surprised and disappointed with the actions of the union, especially as the trust board will be discussing the issue of recognition of the new union on Wednesday."

Ballot papers have now gone out to all its members in Cheshire and Merseyside and a result will be announced in the next two weeks.