A Leeds learning disability service faces a strike vote after imposing changes to sick pay.
Under the new policy, workers at Aspire will receive no pay after just one month of illness, leaving them to survive on state benefits.
This move has already led some workers to cancel essential surgeries, fearing they won’t be able to afford recovery time.
Others face the choice of working while ill, potentially putting the vulnerable individuals they care for at serious risk.
Aspire, formerly part of Leeds City Council before being spun off into a Community Benefit Society in 2015, has refused to reconsider its position despite repeated efforts by the GMB Union to find a fair resolution.
More than 200 GMB members will vote in the ballot, which opens on O13 October and runs for two weeks.
GMB Organiser, Andrew Aldwinkle, said:
“These are low paid essential workers caring for some of the most vulnerable people in society.
"Every day they show up to do physically and emotionally draining work, that often puts them at increased risk of personal ill health.
“Now, Aspire is repaying that dedication by stripping away their safety net. It’s heartless, reckless and cruel.
“This is about dignity and safety - Aspire and Leeds City Council must take a hard look at the consequences of their actions.
"There is still time to do the right thing and change course, but the ball is firmly in their court.”
