UNION members have threatened to strike if jobs are cut as Oxfordshire struggles with the ongoing financial crisis.

At an emergency meeting on Saturday, Unison members at Oxfordshire County Council agreed an action plan, including industrial action where necessary, to save services from closure and defend their wages and conditions.

Union leaders were meeting today to discuss their campaign to protect jobs in the face of the county's proposed budget cuts.

Union members now plan to lobby central Government to lift the cap on Oxfordshire.

They branded a plan to pay staff in vouchers as totally unacceptable. The idea was put forward so the council could pay less in national insurance contributions.

Unison branch secretary Mark Fysh said after the meeting: "We feel that people should be paid in cash, that is by bank transfer or other means, the full amount. It should be up to them where they spend their money.

"A letter has been sent to the council, saying if we're faced with compulsory redundancies we will be balloting for industrial action."

A lobby and rally aimed at stopping all the cuts is planned outside County Hall on February 10 from 8.30am to 10am.

Unison members fear Oxfordshire's financial crisis may lead to job losses.

They threatened to stop using cars on council business if the proposal to cut car allowances was not dropped.

Trading Standards Unison member Anu Prashar said the council had failed to take into account the consequences if officers stopped making their cars available for work.

He pointed out that alternative methods, such as pool cars, would mean high costs for the council and inconvenience for staff.

Members agreed to set up an industrial action committee.

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