Ballot begins over Shropshire Council pay cut plan

A demonstration was held outside Shire Hall about the pay cuts last year

Shropshire Council staff are being balloted over strike action.

Employees received a letter stating all council staff would be dismissed on 30 September and immediately rehired, but only if they agreed to a 5.4% pay cut.

The authority said it had to save £76m due to reduced government funding and pay cuts would avoid it having to make 400 permanent redundancies.

Unison said it had started the process over balloting members for industrial action.

About 40% of Shropshire Council staff are Unison members.