Work on Tottenham Hotspur’s new £800m stadium could be hit after union Unite announced plans for a 24-hour strike by employees of tower crane company HTC Wolffkran in a dispute over pay.

Announcing the industrial action, Unite suggested work on the stadium could be under threat, noting that the strike would “cause widespread disruption on many major projects including the new stadium being built by Tottenham Hotspur”.

Unite said that it had been left “no option” but to strike after HTC Wolffkran “refused” to return to the negotiation table.

The union’s members voted for strike action after the company allegedly refused to continue negotiations and imposed a two-year deal on the workers, which involved a 3 per cent pay increase in both years and an increase in annual leave to the standard industry level.

Unite balloted members on 26 July after accusing HTC Wolffkran’s management of “unnecessarily increasing industrial tensions” in the dispute over pay. According to the union, the pay increase represents a “cut in real terms”.

Unite national officer for construction Jerry Swain said: “Despite seeking fresh talks to avoid strike action, we have been unable to reach a satisfactory agreement and therefore have no option but to take strike action.

“Our members are simply not in a position to meekly accept an imposed pay increase, which is a pay cut in real terms compared to the current rate of RPI. This so called increase is in effect a substantial reduction when compared to the increases that workers are receiving in the industry.”

HTC Wolffkran and Tottenham Hotspur have been contacted for comment.