Council pay offer strike threat

Kent County Council's leader said it had made its full and final pay offer

Public sector workers at Kent County Council (KCC) could take strike action after they rejected a 1% pay offer.

Unison members, especially school workers such as support staff, are unhappy that teachers are being offered a bigger rise of 2.47%.

David Lloyd, Unison branch secretary, said many had said they would like to be balloted for strike action, as well as action short of a strike.

The council said the current financial climate made the offer reasonable.

Council leader Paul Carter told BBC Radio Kent that it was "a full and final offer".

"We will go on negotiating with the unions and hopefully we can get them to see reason," he said.

However, Mr Lloyd said the pay offer had left his union members "feeling disgruntled".

"I think the issues that a lot of people have got again is if we take the education staf, who work as support staff in the schools who are actually offered the 1%, they will be working alongside people who have been offered the larger amount."