HUNDREDS of council workers are due to hold a mass meeting in Southampton today to decide whether to hold a strike ballot which could see city services grind to a halt.

Council staff union Unison, which has 3,000 members on the city council, says it is calling for strike action over the council's plans to privatise services, reduce the wages of care staff and make up to 100 workers redundant next year as part of controversial budget measures.

Last week, the Daily Echo revealed that the council had written to 300 of its care staff giving them three months to either accept pay cuts or face dismissal.

The union says it has written to the council demanding it withdraw the dismissal notices.

It claims hundreds of care workers have rejected the new pay deal and submitted individual legal challenges.

The union also revealed that moves to privatise council services have hit a stumbling block as one of the two firms in the running to take over has withdrawn from the bidding process.

Angry and determined' Southampton Unison branch secretary, Mike Tucker, said: "Members will be meeting in an angry and determined mood and I am certain they will vote for a council-wide strike ballot unless the council changes direction.

"We believe the council has acted unlawfully in sacking 300 care workers and will be taking legal action to stop the dismissals unless the council acts to withdraw the termination letters."

City Council leader councillor Adrian Vinson said that the proposed changes to the care staff's contracts were to correct "disproportionate" payments to employees who worked unconventional hours.

He said: "This reflects a decision supported by all three political groups in last year's budget settlement and the council has sought to negotiate with staff and their union since that time.

"We regret that the union has felt unable to put the council's final offer to its members. In the circumstances, the council has no alternative but to offer individual members of staff re-employment on the new terms which remain substantially more favourable than equivalent staff would be likely to receive in the private sector."

Turning to the council's plans to privatise key council services such as IT, he confirmed that telecoms giant, BT had pulled out of negotiations to run the services, leaving one bidder - the Capita consortium.

Disappointed' He said: "While we are disappointed that BT has decided to withdraw, we respect the decision and thank BT for its participation in the process.

"We will continue our negotiations with Capita in the belief that the development of a strategic services partner for the council can bring benefits to both staff and customers."