COUNCIL workers have voted in favour of strike action, which could hit vital services such as rubbish collections and school meals.

Unison, which has more than 2,700 members employed with Swindon Council, says the town is likely to suffer from two days of strikes in the middle of next month.

The news comes after 55 per cent of Unison's 600,000 members balloted across England and Wales voted for industrial action by rejecting a 2.45 per cent pay increase - below the current rate of inflation of 3.3 per cent.

Lisa Youlton, regional head of Unison in the south west, said the action would hurt the lowest paid employees, many of whom are women and part-time workers.

She said: "Many of our members are on £6 an hour, they are not choosing between a foreign holiday or a car, but whether they should pay the gas bill or food for a week.

"This offer of a pay rise is in actuality a pay cut, as we have been accepting pay rises below inflation for four years so at a time when prices are going up every two weeks offers should be closer to the mark, not well below it.

"Our members are very angry because they are not being listened to.

"We are highly likely to stage our action in the middle of July so schools, councils, refuse and highways will be affected."

Swindon Unison treasurer Karl Read, who is also an employee of Swindon Council, said the pay rise is unfair considering how high inflation is at the moment.

He said: "To get such a response must indicate a very strong feeling from members of Unison. I must say it does seem unfair that when inflation is running so high they are prepared to offer something so low."

However, Dave Brown, a streetlights operation manager for the council and a member of Unison, said members should have taken the rise.

He said: "I can't understand why everyone I spoke to voted yes. It will be very interesting to see how this turns out as I was willing to take whatever I could get."

Unison is demanding either a six per cent pay rise or 50p extra an hour depending on which is the greater.

A council spokesman said: "We are monitoring the situation closely and will do our best to ensure that disruption to residents is kept to a minimum if strike action takes place."

Unison are expected to announce today what form of industrial action their members will take.