COUNCIL workers across Worcestershire have rejected controversial plans to slash terms and conditions - sparking fears of a strike.

A shake-up at Worcestershire County Council, which includes a 'pay by performance' tactic, has been refused by Unison after a ballot.

The rejection, which union bosses have revealed was by "a clear majority", could cause real problems at the cash-strapped authority, which needs to save around £25 million a year.

A strike, which could only affect county council staff but not schools, could potentially cripple services like libraries, social care, gritting and road repairs - with Unison saying any attempts to revisit the changes would lead to another ballot on a walk-out.

Your Worcester News understands the reductions in staff terms, which also included capping redundancy handouts at £35,000 and extending the mandatory three days unpaid leave to 2020 as we revealed last month, was aimed at saving close to £1 million a year.

The leadership at County Hall was hoping to launch it from April, with the pay-by-results policy affecting around 630 middle managers on around £30,000 a year who would have got future incremental rises "linked to annual performance".

Unison now says following the rejection it hopes the matter can be scrapped entirely, which would leave the council needing to find savings from elsewhere to fill a looming black hole.

The council says it wants to get back around the negotiating table.

Jim Price, branch secretary of Worcestershire's Unison branch, said: "The members voted by a clear majority to reject the proposals, and we now await the council's official response.

"Everything has been rejected. We are proud of our members who have refused to be pushed any further, they've had enough."

Part of the feeling around the rejection was because the last time reductions in terms and conditions were agreed in 2011, they were thought to be the last ones.

But with the finances under increasing pressure, the new plan was drawn up just before Christmas.

Under the current terms redundancy pay-outs are capped at £50,000, while pay rises linked to performance, with money held back if staff fail to meet a strict set of targets, only affecting around 170 very senior bosses.

An existing protection scheme was also due to change, meaning workers who take on lesser-paid jobs after a restructure get the first 10 per cent of a salary cut protected for just 18 months instead of the existing three years, but that was rejected in the ballot too.

Unison says the ballot was an ‘informal’ one and it did not want to therefore reveal the percentage backing the rejection, although it insists there was a clear majority against.

The council says it is now "carefully considering" its next steps and says the previous proposals were not considered lightly at any point.

Councillor John Campion, cabinet member for transformation and change, said: "Any amendments to staff terms and conditions are not considered lightly.

"We remain totally committed to meaningful discussions with the trade unions and are currently considering our next steps.

"While this council continues to face financial challenges we realise there is a balance to be struck and recognise the vital contributions staff make in delivering services to residents."