Parking attendants will hold crisis talks with bosses tomorrow in a desperate bid to avert strike action that could cripple the centre of Brighton.

Union members are threatening industrial action after managers at NCP Services cancelled their Christmas party and bonuses.

About 100 staff plan to walk out on January 5 in Brighton and Hove, provoking fears of a parking free-for-all as Saturday shoppers head to the sales.

GMB members have voted in favour of an all out strike over the withdrawal of the bonuses - a £25 Argos voucher per year of service for each member of staff - and cash for an office party.

The union will meet representatives from NCP Services, whose attendants patrol the streets on behalf of Brighton and Hove City Council, tomorrow at St Joseph's Business Park, Brighton.

GMB members voted for a walkout after being told the NCP could not afford their bonus back in November.

But the NCP today said the money the dispute was over was now available.

The GMB said the majority of NCP's parking attendants in Brighton and Hove were union members who were expecting to strike if talks were not successful.

Rachel Lyons, the GMB organiser in Brighton, said: "The GMB is hoping that these talks will bring a resolution to the dispute."

Tim Cowen, of NCP Services, said the company would bring in extra staff to cross the picket line and cover for strikers on Saturday - one of the biggest shopping days of the year - if industrial action went ahead.

But there are fears shoppers could flood city centre streets with their parked cars, taking a chance there will be no traffic wardens on duty to stop them.

Mr Cowen said: "If they insist on going ahead with the strike we have a contingency plan in place so it's unlikely that the public will see much of a difference, if any, as we will bring in replacement staff to cover the shortfall. But it's something we don't want to do.

"The Argos vouchers will be put out at sometime this year. The money is in the budget, they just didn't get it at Christmas.

"We recognise that we're a people business and we have to make sure we look after our staff. It's a difficult job. There's no question about it. We seem to have got our message across but just not to the union in Brighton for some reason.

"We will listen to their opinion but the decision has been made, Christmas has gone now. The money is available and we will talk to them about how they want that money spent.

"Staff that aren't Christian and don't celebrate Christmas probably don't care when they get their bonus but this is not about being politically correct.

"The money was always there, it just wasn't there at Christmas."

The attendants had originally planned to start a three-day strike in early December to coincide with the Christmas rush, after being told a bonus and party were inappropriate because some employees do not celebrate the religious festival.

The bonus had been in place for the last five years - originally £50 vouchers but reduced to £25 per year of service in 2006.

Mr Cowen added: "We got rid of the car parks last year and we now work mainly with local authorities.

"We have to demonstrate we're representing value for money so we came to the conclusion we were uncomfortable appearing to spend a lot of money on a Christmas party.

"Brighton and Hove City Council, for instance, doesn't give Christmas bonuses to staff nor do they pay for Christmas parties."

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