Conciliation service Acas is to attempt to broker a deal in a pay dispute affecting a housing company’s workers.

Beyond, which manages 15,000 properties in the North-East and North Yorkshire and has offices in Dormanstown, Redcar, offered its staff a 6% pay rise with the terms being accepted by members of Unison and those not represented by a union.

But workers in two unions, Unite and the GMB are holding out for an improved deal, while also understood to be seeking an extra day’s holiday and a slightly shortened working day.

Unite said it had “pushed hard” for talks at Acas with both parties subsequently agreeing to the move.

Unite regional officer Sharon Bailey accused Beyond of a “high-handed attitude” and said it was in danger of “sleepwalking into industrial action”.

She said: “Unite members are not going to accept a pay offer which is in reality a real term pay cut.

“The employer is throwing fuel on the fire by further threatening to impose this substandard offer.  “It is hoped that Acas talks will help Beyond see sense and that these issues can be resolved through negotiations.”

A spokesman for Beyond confirmed Acas had been approached and a date was waiting to be set for discussions.

He said the company aimed to apply the 6% pay offer, which it previously described as fair and benchmarked against similar firms, across the board, irrespective of job role or union membership.

It previously said in a statement: “At what is a challenging time economically, we have sought to achieve a fair settlement in line with, or better than, similar organisations.

“Our resources are limited and we have to get the balance right between recognising the invaluable work of our colleagues and protecting the vital frontline services we provide to our customers, investing in our homes, meeting new regulations and managing the impact of inflation on the organisation.”

Beyond Housing employs about 750 staff from tradespeople to those working in housing management, customer support and administration.

It was formed from a merger of Coast and Country Housing and Yorkshire Coast Homes.

In May Beyond issued an apology after a flood of complaints from tenants about overgrown grass and shrubs in communal areas around some of its properties in Redcar and Cleveland.

It said an external provider, Ground Control, had not met its specifications for timely, quality grass cutting and it was committed to delivering an improved service in the future.

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