A COUNCIL'S threat to sack at least 4,000 workers has provoked angry reaction in Camden, north London.
A February meeting attended by a thousand UNISON members called unanimously for strike action unless the authority withdraws the dismissal notices.
The Council's leader, Richard Arthur, says that its action is "not about sacking staff A UNISON spokesperson said that the thousands of staff who had re ceived brown envelopes "may beg to differ with this ludicrous assertion".
Before his recent departure, the chief executive, Jeremy Smith, described all terms and conditions as "gifts" to the staff which were "generous to the point of illegality"
Camden UNISON says that residents and workers in the borough know all about gifts.
Last year all Carden's top managers received hefty pay rises. The chief executive himself received 19 per cent. Branch Secretary, David Eggmore, said, "The Council should keep its own house in order, rather than attacking staff with an inferior package of terms and conditions, which by its own admission serves no financial purpose whatsoever"
Terms
The Council intends to re-employ most of the workforce but only on an inferior contract which first saw the light of day in January 1995. year.
Although several other union branches in Camden have accepted the terms of this, UNISON negotiators have been holding out for improve. ments but the council has now removed its previous offer from the table Eggmore said that the council had nothing but contempt for its workforce.
Following the call for action, a ballot is now taking palace and if successful, a one-day strike in April will be followed by a rolling programme of action.