ORDNANCE Survey staff showed the strength of feeling about their pay dispute when more than 250 turned out for a meeting on the strike vote.

The open-air event saw fed-up workers give up their lunch hour to hear Prospect union chiefs urge them to stay solid in the pay deal row with bosses.

As reported in yesterday's Daily Echo, right, staff voted by a landslide to take industrial action over OS bosses' final offer of a 3.8 per cent rise this year, followed by 3.6 per cent next year.

Union leaders have told bosses they face a "bitter and protracted" dispute unless they come up with more cash after workers backed strike action by four to one.

During yesterday's meeting staff also heard a strike vote from a second, smaller union the Public and Commercial Services Union had mirrored the Prospect poll, with 72 per cent backing a strike.

Prospect negotiator Ben Middleton, who represents 750 Southampton staff, told the meeting he hoped the threat of a strike would be enough to force management back to the negotiating table.

"I give you a firm commitment that we are not going to bounce people into holding strike action unless we have to.

"I am pleased to see a strong turnout. I hope we are sending a message to management that the resolve is there. I hope we don't have to call a strike but if we do I know the support is there.

"The department need to recognise the level of frustration over pay."

OS, which employs 1,200 people in the city, said it was "disappointed" at the outcome of the ballot and it considered its offer to be "fair, realistic and affordable".

A spokesman said: "Under the offer many staff will receive significant increases."

OS is based in Romsey Road, Maybush, but is due to move to a new £45m premises next to the M271 in spring 2008.