The warning was issued by the chairman of the group that represents public sector workers.
Nick Corbel, of the Unite union, made the comment in response to Chief Minister Terry Le Sueur saying that he was ‘open to mediation’ and willing to negotiate a two-year deal with any public sector pay group.
The Island’s 6,700 public sector workers face a pay freeze for 2009/10 after the States last week rejected a move to reinstate the equivalent of a two per cent pay increase into budgets.
Mr Corbel said it was likely that later this week shop stewards representing the 1,500 States and parish manual workers will agree to a ballot of their members for industrial action.
Unions and staff associations that represent thousands of workers, including nurses, paramedics, civil servants, prison staff and teachers, are due to meet the States Employment Board later this week.
