CANTEEN staff at one of Hampshire’s biggest industrial sites are planning more strikes over what their union claims are “pitifully low” wages.

About 20 employees at Fawley refinery are threatening to stage five days of industrial action starting on September 25, one of the largest training days due to be held at the complex this year.

The Unite trade union said canteen staff were “struggling” on wages that were either on or just above the national minimum wage of £7.50 an hour.

Last night it emerged that canteen staff have already held four days of strike action.

Now more walkouts are planned for later this month as employees step up their campaign for a “decent” pay increase.

A Unite spokesman said those affected by the first stoppage would include 120 staff attending a training day in a complex known as The Tent.

Fawley refinery is owned by ExxonMobil but the canteen staff are employed by BaxterStorey.

They have rejected a proposed pay rise of 2%, which the union described as “too little, too late”, and are now seeking the living wage – £8.45 an hour outside London.

About 1,200 workers at Fawley use the refinery’s food hubs and vending machines 24 hours-a-day.

Unite’s regional officer, Mick Pollek, claimed that BaxterStorey employees based at the 3,250-acre site were “pitifully paid”.

He added: “If Southampton City Council, facing massive local government cuts, can be a living wage employer, then ExxonMobil can ensure similar pay standards.”

Mr Pollek said refinery employees earning more than £70,000 a year would be among those affected by the September 25 stoppage, which would disrupt one of the biggest training days of the year.

“Now is the time for ExxonMobil to put pressure on BaxterStorey to make a decent pay offer,” he said.

Canteen staff taking part in the earlier strikes are reported to have received a sympathetic response from other refinery employees arriving for work.

Many stopped to chat to women on the picket line, resulting in cars and delivery lorries taking longer to enter the site.

Denise Allen, BaxterStorey’s head of people operations, said: “Unite trade union members working at Fawley have decided to take a course of industrial action.

“We are disappointed that some of our team felt this was necessary and are committed to working with them and Unite to come to a resolution as soon as possible.”

A refinery spokesman said ExxonMobil had been advised that about 20 catering contractors had voted in favour of further industrial action.