MORE Southampton council workers have voted in favour of industrial action over plans to privatise services and transfer employees to a private company.

About 800 members of the newly formed Unite union, a merger between the T&G and Amicus, were balloted, with a 27 per cent response.

Two-thirds voted for strike action while 77 per cent voted for action short of a walkout.

Union representatives will meet next week to decide what action to take in protest at plans to "sell off" services such as street lighting, highways and city supplies under private finance initiatives (PFIs).

Unite spokesman John Allott said: "PFI is inefficient, costs more than public provision of services and hits staff where it hurts most - their pay, terms and conditions and pensions.

"The council will not have an easy fight on its hands if it persists with this foolhardy sell-off. Unite members will not sit by while their jobs are sold off and council services farmed out to the private sector."

The union is also opposing the council signing a contract with Capita to outsource services and about 600 jobs.

More than 2,500 Unison members are already carrying out a policy of non-co-operation over the negotiations which will be decided in July.