Mr McGuckin said he expects the results of that ballot to reflect the TGWU vote.

BBC: NEWS | UK | England | Cumbria | Refuse collectors vote to strike

Unions involved in the strike include Nipsa, Siptu, TGWU, ATGWU, Amicus and Unison.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Northern Ireland | Strike hits schools and transport

Union leaders from the GMB, TGWU and Amicus are examining the new BA proposal, and have yet to comment.

BBC: NEWS | Business | Fresh BA offer in pay dispute

Mr Smith said relations between TGWU and management had deteriorated because the union was not allowing the firm to move forward.

BBC: Unions not told of job losses

He claimed most unions at the plant had been willing to accept the new pay offer, but the TGWU had caused problems.

BBC: Sacked workers 'sabotaged' plant

When the TGWU's leader Bill Morris retired in 2003, Mr Woodley's campaign to succeed rested on a platform for modernisation and integration with other unions.

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The TGWU has warned strike action raises the prospect of "serious shortages" on Morrisons shelves but the company pointed out it had 12 other distribution sites which are not involved in the strikes.

BBC: NEWS | UK | England | Morrisons staff announce walk-out

And he confirmed that he would be meeting with members of the union movement's new so-called awkward squad such as Amicus' Derek Simpson and the TGWU's Tony Woodley to see how they could "reclaim" the Labour Party.

BBC: Union warns of strike threat

"We're pleased the company has put forward a new offer to the unions, however the content will need to be considered by the bargaining groups for ground support staff and check-in workers, " said TGWU chief negotiator Brendan Gould.

BBC: NEWS | Business | Fresh BA offer in pay dispute

She moved from the TGWU to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in 1994 and two years later she founded a TUC academy to train the union organisers of the future - many of whom she expected to be women.

BBC: Profile: Frances O'Grady, the new TUC general secretary