GMB: Council staff 'will be devastated' about pay freeze

Council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will have their pay frozen for a third consecutive year.

The Local Government Association confirmed a pay freeze for 1.6 million local government employees for 2012/13.

It had been widely anticipated by councils but the GMB union attacked the move as a "political decision".

Speaking to the BBC, GMB national officer Brian Strutton said low-paid staff were "already on the edge of poverty" and would be "devastated" to hear of the freeze.