SEAFARERS who operate ferries to and from the Isle of Wight are balloting on industrial action.

Mariners’ union RMT will ballot the 400 ferry workers on strike action and action short of a strike, over a dispute with ferry firm Wightlink over pensions and terms and conditions.

RMT says that the firm wants to shut down the workers’ pension scheme and reintroduce the flexible working practices that employees were subject to in the first six months of the pandemic.