Unison members in local government have voted by 55% to 45% for a programme of sustained strike action against a derisory 2.45% pay offer.
The first strike will take place on 16 and 17 July. It will involve nearly 600,000 workers, including housing benefit workers, cleaners, teaching assistants, bin workers, school dinner staff and social workers.
70,000 more local government workers in the union Unite are also likely to announce action when their ballot process is completed at the end of June.
