Bradford Council workers are in a deadlock with management today after flatly rejecting a new offer on terms and conditions.

Staff turned down an amended offer after being given details by unions. Unless a settlement can be reached by Monday, a ballot is looming over industrial action.

The unions - Unison, the Transport and General Workers Union and GMB - are refusing to budge on demands which include automatic rights to voluntary severance after 12 weeks in a redundant post and protection of salary for ten years.

The Council says lawyers have advised the implementation of the terms would be illegal and that the new employment packages for the 23,000 workers will give them a better deal.

But the unions believe they could be a fast track to redundancy. Liz Devlin, joint chairman of the Bradford Unison branch, said: "I don't believe the reasons they are giving for turning us down, are good enough.

"Our solicitors have written to the Council asking them to explain them."

The Council's executive member for corporate services, Councillor Richard Wightman, said: "The package the management put forward was extremely reasonable and generous. The arrangement was that the proposals were accepted or not. If it was decided not to accept it, the Council would take its own action.''