Workers at Stanford and Lucile Packard Children’s hospitals will vote Tuesday afternoon to “authorize a strike” at the two hospitals -- not the same as voting actually to go on strike but authorizing union representatives to call a strike.

“Negotiations are essentially over,” said John Vellardita, SEIU chief spokesman.

“We’re incredibly disappointed that the union is discussing a possible strike when we’ve been negotiating over the last two days and continuing to negotiate today,” Sarah Staley, spokesperson for the hospitals, said Friday. “It doesn’t reflect well on the attitude they bring to the table.”

Union members will also vote on the “best and final offer” from the two hospitals will they meet to take a strike-authorization vote at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

About 1,200 food and service workers at the two hospitals are members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 715, which has been negotiating terms of new contract. The former contract expired Nov. 4, although it was extended to Nov. 13.

The two sides are far apart on wages. The hospitals have proposed a three-year contract with pay raises of 4 percent, 4 percent and 3.5 percent over the three years.

The union has proposed pay raises of 10 percent, 10 percent and 9 percent.

“Stanford pays significantly less than other Bay Area hospitals,” Vallardita said.

— Don Kazak