STRIKE action by key Swindon Council employees, including bin men and care workers, could be on the cards after a ballot was announced.

The Unison union is to hold a consultative ballot to gauge whether its members want to go forward to vote on industrial action.

A union leader said it was “likely” that his members, which number 3,000 across the council, would say yes to the action, which he predicted would take place in March or April.

The dispute stems from the council’s review of pay and grading structures, known as Single Status.

Thousands of council workers are seeing a change to their salaries, with almost a fifth of the authority’s 5,979 workers having their pay cut.

Unison’s principal objections are that the council broke away from national agreements and failed to get union backing. They are also angered that while pay cuts will not come into effect until April 2011 allowances will be axed from this year.

Chris Howe, regional organiser for Unison, said: “The council will rue the day they broke away from us and I think the people of Swindon will as well.

“We have got to the point where we feel there is no option but to ballot our members on industrial action, which could include strikes.

“We do not want to be in this position but a stand has to be made.

“We will be asking our members if they wish to ballot. I think that is likely to happen and we would be looking at March for the ballot on industrial action.

“This will apply to members across all areas of the council, but there are specific concerns in Swindon Commercial Services, home carers, street wardens and some others.”

Mr Howe said that allowances make up a significant proportion of some of his members’ pay and that the Single Status scheme did not offer adequate compensation for the cuts. At this week’s cabinet meeting councillors agreed to re-open discussions on the allowances’ policy, with specific regard to those for housing wardens, tool allowances, some overtime payments and money for council staff being on call.

Coun Fionuala Foley, Swindon Council’s deputy leader, said: “As a council we are still listening, hence the report to cabinet to enter discussions on areas of concern that have been raised by unions and officers.

“I’m not aware of exactly what issues they are balloting on but I hope they will continue in seeking discussions with the council.”