THOUSANDS of Kirklees Council workers are to be balloted on strike action.
More than 6,500 people working for the council are to be asked by their union, Unison, to consider industrial action.
It is in protest over compulsory redundancies.
The union claims the council has made two workers at Ashbrow Junior School redundant, contrary to an agreement.
Union officials insist there is a temporary “no compulsory redundancies” agreement in place.
Now the workers from schools, care homes and office blocks are to be balloted for strike action. The voting will start on Thursday, June 20, and end on Wednesday, July 10.
Kirklees Unison branch secretary Paul Holmes said: “Why does Kirklees Council, an employer who underspent last year by £5m, need to make low-paid, part-time workers redundant?
“The council can either defend jobs and services or they can follow Government policy, but they cannot do both.
“As a trade union, Kirklees Unison will do what our members pay their subscriptions for us to do – defend their jobs and defend their services.”
Mr Holmes said the council had saved £5m last year but was still taking on high-paid staff.
He said the public were facing hard times in the middle of the Government’s austerity programme and more would follow.
“Who will compulsory redundancies help? No-one except employers who are out to threaten employees.
“The public are faced with budget cuts, housing shortages, rising prices, unaffordable mortgages, pension cuts and poverty.
“Enough is enough. Redundancies don’t help anyone, they just deflate the economy.
A council spokesman said: “It’s disappointing that the union are balloting for strike action while negotiations over this issue are still ongoing.
“However, if there is to be a vote the important thing is for a high number of members to take part so the outcome is a true reflection of the views of the union membership.
“It’s a complex issue but we will continue to work to limit the number of job reductions while providing a service to the public”.
