The prospect of almost 9,000 public sector workers in Kirklees striking over pay has moved closer, according to union officials in Huddersfield.

Some 8,000 members of Unite who work for Kirklees Council and local schools, are being balloted on staging a one-day strike in July while similar votes for industrial action are also being held among 800 local authority workers who are members of the GMB general union and 150 members of Unite.

Nationally, the GMB is balloting 22,000 of its members in local government and schools over staging a strike on July 10 after a ballot in which GMB members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland overwhelmingly rejected a pay offer of just over 1%.

Now 600,000 ballot papers are set to be delivered to Unison members in local government and schools. The union said it has scheduled action for July 10 should a yes vote be returned.

The UNITE the union is also ballot 100,000 of its members over whether to take industrial action in July.

Nick Ruff, who chairs the Kirklees UNISON branch, will discuss the situation of the ballots and strike action at the May meeting of Huddersfield TUC, which takes place at 7pm on Tuesday, May 27, at Huddersfield Town Hall.

Bob Stoker, secretary of Huddersfield TUC, said the feeling was very strong locally among GMB, Unite and UNISON members that the 1% pay offer should be rejected.

He said: “The 10th of July could be a red letter day. That day could see the launch of the kind of fightback we need to defeat the Tory austerity.

“Despite the talk of recovery Cameron’s government and employers are still putting the squeeze on wages, pensions and jobs. Huge cuts to local government funding could see the end many services.

“At last some unions are saying enough is enough!”

Click here to take you back to more Huddersfield news .

Want to read, watch and hear more? You can download the FREE Examiner Apple App  here , the FREE Examiner Android App  here  or you can view the paper as an e-edition on your Apple, Android or Kindle device by clicking  here

To follow us on Twitter click here