A meeting was taking place today to try to stop Bradford coming to a standstill if lower-paid Council workers go ahead with their threat to strike.

Thousands of workers in Bradford who earn less than £5 an hour have now rejected a three per cent pay offer through three separate union ballots by a huge majority.

Union bosses claim that nationally about 1.2 million lower-paid council workers could be staging a walkout. They were meeting local government employers in London today to try to thrash out an agreement.

Workers who could strike include binmen, dinner ladies, care assistants, cleaners and road sweepers.

Members of the three unions - Unison, T&G and GMB - rejected the final pay rise offer.

They are demanding a six per cent increase which would take their wages to £11,000.

Sue Easton, general secretary of Bradford Local Government Unison said: "The members in Bradford rejected the pay offer by a majority of about two to one.

"The proposal also included members being prepared to take industrial action."

In Yorkshire, 30,000 of these workers earn less than £5 an hour. If they go ahead with a strike, it will be the first of its kind since 1979.

Before any strike action goes ahead, members will have to go through a formal ballot, unlikely to take place before July.

A Bradford Council spokesman said: "The Council is aware that the trade unions have rejected the employers' offer of three per cent in the current pay negotiations.

"As the negotiations are being conducted nationally, the Council is awaiting further information and guidance."