STAFF at the Care Quality Commission (CQC) are voting on whether to launch strike action over take-home pay cuts, unions announced today.

Unison, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), Unite, PCS and Prospect are balloting workers who inspect, monitor and regulate hospitals, care homes, GP practices, dental surgeries and ambulance and mental health services.

The public body imposed a massively below-inflation wage boost of between just 2.75 and 3.5 per cent — plus one-off payments or either £100 or £150 — in December, according to unions.

Unison’s Matt Egan blasted years of falling real-terms salaries and stressed that staff need a “decent pay rise and recognition, rather than being undervalued and undermined.”

Unite national officer Jacalyn Williams said workers have been “forced to shoulder years of pay cuts,” while PCS head Mark Serwotka urged staff to resist the “increasing damage being done to the public sector.”

Prospect deputy general secretary Garry Graham slammed the situation as “simply unacceptable,” while RCN’s Barry Hutchinson said “safe care is at risk.”

The inspectorate claimed to be “restricted by Civil Service pay guidelines” but added it would remain “in close contact with unions.”