Unison Cornwall Council workers accept changes

Cornwall Council is aiming to save a total of £170m over four years

Members of the Unison union who work at Cornwall Council have voted to accept changes to workers' terms and conditions proposed by the authority.

Travel, unsocial hours and subsistence payments will be affected, and there will also be a total pay freeze for next year.

Unison said members had agreed to the package "very reluctantly".

The council said it was pleased at the vote and the measures would reduce the number of compulsory job losses.

Of Unison's 5,000 members at the council, 55% turned out to vote.

Of the voters, 69% accepted the proposed changes, about 1,900 people.

Unison regional organiser Stuart Roden said: "Staff at Cornwall Council sadly felt that they had no choice but to accept these changes at this time."

The council wants to make the changes to help deliver savings of about £6m in the next financial year.

It is also aiming to save a total of £170m over four years, with about 700 jobs expected to go.

The authority said the vote would help protect at least 200 jobs.