Shropshire Council wage cuts 'may save' workers' jobs

Salary cuts have been proposed for Shropshire Council workers to help avoid redundancies, the leader said.

Councillor Keith Barrow, leader of the Conservative-run council said hundreds of jobs could be protected by changes to staff contracts.

Shropshire Council previously said it had to save £76m in the next four years. The GMB union said it feared the council would cut 2,400 jobs to do it.

The cabinet is due to vote on the wage reduction plans on Wednesday.

If approved by cabinet members in principle, consultation would then be held with trade unions and staff, the council said.

The proposals include reducing the standard working week to 35 or 36 per week hours and adjusting pay accordingly.

'Protect services'

Mr Barrow, said: "I hope our staff understand that we have to make savings wherever we can in these times of unprecedented Government funding cuts.

"These proposed changes to terms and conditions are aimed at protecting jobs and the valuable services we provide for the people of Shropshire.

"The public quite rightly expect us to do all we can to protect front-line services, and these proposals are part of that."

Cabinet members will consider a proposal to freeze pay for two years for many staff from April 2011.

The council said the pay freeze alone could help it save more than £3m in the next two financial years.

It agreed in November to reduce redundancy pay and car allowances for staff.