UNISON has warned of industrial action, saying a job evaluation by Here-fordshire Council will end in staff losing money.

The public sector union, which has been in negotiations with the council over the review for the last four years, is to ballot its members on whether or not to accept the package.

Branch organiser Janet Atkinson said: "These are people with families, mortgages and houses to run. We believe that some people would take a cut of £10,000 a year. We've heard that one member of staff could be reduced by £18,000."

The job evaluation review was brought in to try and iron out pay anomalies. The council inherited workers from Hereford and Worcester County Council and the former Malvern Hills District Council.

Mrs Atkinson said: "Unison has gone as far as it can over the negotiating table, and now we have gone back to our members. Ballots on whether to accept the package went out last week, and they are coming back hot and heavy. If there is a majority rejection, that will lead to a further ballot on industrial action."

Council spokesman John Burnett said: "There is local agreement with trades unions to use the evaluation process to rectify the anomalies in pay inherited from the old authorities.

"All staff will be protected against any loss of salary for a period of four years. Inevitably, in any exercise of this sort, there will be gainers and losers."