Around 30 staff at Patchway engine giant Rolls-Royce are being balloted for strike action over plans to make them redundant within the next year.

The staff, who work in warehouses at the Patchway site, have been told their jobs will transfer to CEVA, a Leicestershire-based logistics company, on July 1 – but only for 10 months, after which their jobs will be made redundant.

Union Amicus says if the move goes ahead, the workers will be forced to leave the Rolls-Royce pension scheme, which will be financially damaging to them.

Union convenor Ray Bazeley said: "The 31 warehouse staff in question distribute engine parts across Europe and America, some of them have worked for Rolls for more than 40 years and will take a big hit on their pensions if they transfer to a new employer.

"They are effectively moving in to a new pension scheme for just 10 months.

"We've been trying to negotiate with management so that the staff remain Rolls employees for the remaining 10 months and the size of their pensions won't be affected, as they have left Rolls and not a third party.

"We will issue the affected workers with ballot papers, and a decision on a strike could be made at the end of next week.

"A strike could then be held within three weeks.

"As chief negotiator, I've tried to reason with the firm on this but to no avail."

A spokesman for the Rolls-Royce, which has 3,500 staff in Patchway, said: "We are continuing the consultation process with trade union representatives regarding our aftermarket warehouse activities."

In April, the Post revealed the £40-million sale of Rolls' East Works site to developer Prologis had collapsed due to the credit crunch.

The site will now be flattened and be re-offered for sale early next year.