Tata Steel says no deal with UK unions; strike ballot to go ahead

LONDON (Reuters) - Tata Steel has failed to reach a deal with UK unions about its proposal to change the British pension scheme, it told India's National Stock Exchange on Thursday.

UK unions Community, GMB, UCATT and Unite will start balloting some 17,000 members over strike action from May 6, one day before the country's general election, they said in a joint statement earlier this week.

Should the strike go ahead, it would be one of the biggest industrial actions in the country in some 30 years.

"The negotiations ... have concluded without support from the trade unions on proposed modifications to the (pension) Scheme," Tata Steel said in response to a query from the Indian exchange.

The unions accuse Tata of not taking up their offer to re-enter discussions about the pension scheme.

"Our members are determined to stand up for their pension and therefore we have no option but to proceed to an industrial action ballot in May," said Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of Community, a major British trade union.

(Reporting by Maytaal Angel; Editing by Mark Potter)