COUNCIL workers across the country are to be balloted for strike action, unions announced last night.

Unison, the largest trade union representing local government workers, is calling for industrial action among office staff, refuse collectors and other council workers over an increasingly bitter pay dispute.

Union leaders said they would write to councils today formally telling them of their intention to vote on action which could cripple vital public services.

But leaders of the region's cash-strapped councils say they simply do not have the resources to meet the demands of their workforce for a six per cent wage rise.

Employers recently offered a three per cent rise - which was flatly rejected by Unison. It claims the offer will give members a meagre increase of 15p an hour.

Local government workers are the lowest paid workers in the public sector, and Unison has vowed that, unless employers agree to the six per cent pay rise, it will begin balloting members on June 10.

Alan Docherty, Unison representative for Darlington, said: "This is more than just a pay dispute, although that is it at the core of the ballot.

"Council workers are gradually expected to do more work and take on more responsibilities without any pay rises that reflect that.

"The situation is perhaps more profound here in Darlington because it is a small authority with a small budget, but the workforce feels strongly about this and we are sure there will be a lot of support for the ballot."

But the response from council leaders in the region has been ominous, many claiming that limited budgets would not be able to support an increase as high as six per cent.

Only last month, council tax rises of 14.8 per cent were implemented in County Durham, with the authority claiming it needed the rise to pay for a severe shortfall in the authority's budget.

And with other councils across the region facing a similar cash squeeze, they claim they cannot find the extra cash needed to meet a more generous wage settlement.

John Williams, leader of Darlington Borough Council, said: "I am hopeful the majority of council workers will understand that this level of increase is not affordable. We simply do not have the resources to pay for it."

His view was echoed by David Walsh, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, but he said he did sympathise with the plight of many council workers.

"We are watching the national situation unfold, but obviously this affects us," he said.

"We have had a tight budget for years and any excessive pay rise will damage that. Six per cent is simply too much. Having said that, we do have a large number of workers who are on low pay and I wish the Government would take heed, because this is only going to worsen."