SOUTHAMPTON City Council workers will be balloted for strike action if redundancy notices are issued to ease the current financial crisis at the Civic Offices.

The Daily Echo has revealed that up to 30 members of staff could lose their jobs as the Labour-led executive battles to bridge a predicted £22 million overspend - made up of capital and running costs.

Unison has pledged to fight the cutbacks in jobs and services and is planning a series of meetings to inform staff of the current position.

A notice from the union - headed city council budget crisis - states that if redundancy notices are issued or if measures, such as reduction in services or privatisation, are pushed through without Unison agreement, union members in the directorate concerned will be balloted for industrial action.

A special branch meeting has been organised on Tuesday, February 27, once the cutbacks have been finalised by councillors.

Branch secretary Mike Tucker said he was expecting hundreds of staff to attend as workers have been given paid release to attend. He added: "We are expecting lots of people to turn up for this meeting. By then we will know the full extent of what is going to happen and we can decide what action we are going to take."