Trade union, Unison, has confirmed it will ballot its 600,000 local government members for strike action over the 1% pay offer.

The trade union said this year’s pay offer – which was rejected by 70% of its members – would see the majority of local government workers receive a 1% pay rise.

Unison's head of local government, Heather Wakefield, said: ‘Our members have made it clear that this pay offer is the straw that breaks the camel's back after years of pay freezes and below-inflation rises.

‘This offer is effectively another pay freeze for the majority of our local government and school members, and they have used this consultation to send a strong message that it is insulting and unacceptable.

‘Local government workers have kept services running in our communities in the face of the Government's harsh austerity agenda, and they deserve more than just a bare minimum pay increase.’

The National Employers have called the offer a 'fair' deal for staff and taxpayers.

A Local Government Association spokesman said: 'We know that these have been difficult times for the local government workforce who have worked wonders to keep vital local services running while councils are tackling the biggest cuts in living memory.

The pay offer we have made would increase by 1 per cent the pay of most employees while those on the lowest pay would receive a larger increase. We believe that this is a fair deal for our employees, given the limits of what we can afford, and a fair deal for the taxpayers and residents who use and pay for the crucial services which local government provides.

In calling for strike action, Unison is further delaying the process of council employees receiving a pay increase this year.”