More than 200 Belfast leisure centre workers will take part in a 24-hour strike over pay at facilities operated by Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) on Tuesday.

Fourteen leisure centres and two gyms, including those in the Better Gym franchise, are owned by Belfast City Council, but operated by the arms-length management company.

The Unite and NIPSA trade unions, who represent the workers, said talks ended without the management company making an improved pay offer.

In a joint statement, the unions said the action, which will take place on 12 August, is “likely to shut down” operations at a number of centres.

They are seeking a pay rise of £1 per hour in addition to the current offer which unions said would bring staff up to at least the living wage.

“It has to end,” said NIPSA spokesperson, Janette Murdock.

“Belfast City Councillors cannot wash their hands of responsibility for the pay gap facing leisure workers at council-owned leisure centres.”

General secretary for Unite, Sharon Graham, said it is “deeply unfair that Belfast leisure workers are the lowest paid leisure workers in Northern Ireland”.

“Workers who perform the same tasks and have the same responsibilities are paid significantly less than they would be in neighbouring councils.”

They described Belfast City Council’s decision to outsource services to GLL as “disastrous, not just for workers who are underpaid and overstretched, but for the public who have endured hikes on charges”.

A Belfast City Council spokesperson said: “GLL manage and run leisure centres across the city on behalf of Council. GLL is a social enterprise that reinvests all profits back into the centres and all operational matters, including those relating to pay, are under its remit.

“Council is committed to working with GLL and its employees on the continued provision of leisure services in the city.”

BBC News NI has contacted Greenwich Leisure Limited for comment.