Council workers could strike over pay

Staff at Herefordshire Council are to decide whether to go on strike over the authority's plan to rationalise pay.

A large number of employees rejected the new pay structure on Tuesday.

The new pay scheme could mean some salaries are cut by thousands of pounds.

Members of the unions GMB and Unison voted in a ballot on Tuesday to reject the council's plans to rationalise the pay structures.

Turn down

Discussions about proposed wage cuts and restructuring at Herefordshire Council have been going on for the past three weeks.

Eddie Clark, Unison's branch secretary for Hereford, said employees voted overwhelmingly to turn down the proposal.

But a spokesman for Herefordshire Council said they were disappointed with the workers' decision.

He said they would continue to hold discussions with the trade unions to try and find a solution.