UNIONS have sent an open letter to Southampton council bosses urging them to suspend notices threatening staff with dismissal in return for a halt in industrial action.

The unions said the move would help restore good industrial relations to allow “intensive talks to commence to find a negotiated solution”.

The full letter is available to read at the foot of this article.

The letter added: “We remain committed to a negotiated solution and will be contacting ACAS shortly to organise further talks for next week.”

ACAS called off 20 hours of talks yesterday after they reached a stalemate.

Unions have stage five weeks of industrial action over proposals to cut the pay of council workers by between two and 5.5 per cent.

In a final offer the council said it would lift half the workforce – those earning less than £22,000 - out of it proposed pay cuts.

But the unions insisted notices threatening workers with dismissal unless they sign up to worse contracts on July 11 must be withdrawn before any savings could be discussed.

The Unite union has condemned the council revised offer as an attempt to “divide and mislead” workers Ian Woodland, Unite regional officer, said: "Employees earning less than £22,000 are not exempt from pay cuts as it is still proposed to take back already paid increments and not pay them again next year.”

The council said those earning under £21,000 would get a £250 pay rise under its proposals.