PROBATION staff in England and Wales will stage a two-hour strike from 8am today in a long-running row over pay.

The move follows a vote in favour of industrial action by members of Unison, which represents around 4,300 probation workers.

The government had decided to grant a one-off payment of around £300 each but no pay increase.

General secretary Dave Prentis attacked the offer as “an insult to hard-working staff who have been put through the misery of the government’s misguided reforms.”

“There is still time for the employers to come up with a decent pay deal and avoid further disruption,” he added.

Previous industrial action, planned for 11 June, was suspended to allow pay talks to continue at conciliation service Acas between the union and the various probation employers.

Seventy-three per cent of members voted Yes for a strike in a ballot that closed last month.