HUNDREDS of North-East council workers have voted to take strike action against the threat of privatisation of council services.

The strike, by members of the public sector union Unison at Newcastle City Council, was announced on the day Prime Minister Tony Blair was addressing delegates at the TUC conference, in Brighton. It is planned for September 28, two days before the start of the Labour Party Conference.

The strikers hope that thousands of other workers will back them by not crossing picket lines.

The workers are all employed in the street lighting section and information technology and related services (ITRS), which handles council tax and housing benefit payments.

The action was agreed after a ballot of 550 staff. The vote was arranged over fears that jobs could be lost, and workers affected, by any moves to privatise the ITRS services.

Unison hopes its 6,000 members employed by the council will support their colleagues by not crossing picket lines.

Kenny Bell, Newcastle City Unison branch secretary, said: "Not only will it impact on jobs, but also the quality of service.

"This is the first time we have had such united action in this authority, and we are hoping there will be similar strike action on a national level."

Newcastle council's director of strategic support, Doug Johnson, said: "It's very disappointing that Unison members have chosen to take this premature action.

"We are still at the stage of exploring options on ITRS, and there are no firm proposals on the table as yet."

The council was drawing up plans to keep disruption to a minimum.