COUNCIL workers in Worcestershire could stage a dramatic strike after saying they were hoodwinked over more than 100 job losses - with union bosses calling their treatment "callous".

Your Worcester News can reveal how Unison is refusing to let the dispute with Worcestershire County Council and private firm Babcock drop after the sudden cuts were announced and is now taking legal advice.

As we revealed two weeks ago, County Hall has just transferred over the employment of 391 staff in the learning and achievement department to the company under a five-year money saving deal.

Three weeks in, Babcock has told the workers that nearly a third of them face losing their jobs by Christmas, with a consultation running until the first week of December over around 103 positions going.

Unison, which says it continuously pressed both the council and the firm for answers on job cuts before the transfer without getting a straight answer, has now got lawyers involved.

The union says "staff have been misled throughout the transfer consultation".

Branch secretary Jim Price said: "It is simply inconceivable that Worcestershire County Council and Babcock would not have been fully aware of the scale of the job losses now being proposed.

"We warned in the summer the cuts to funding planned by the council would inevitably lead to a devastating scenario like this.

"However neither Babcock nor the council would admit to any such plans, despite us pressing them on this on numerous occasions."

Claire Campbell, Unison's regional manager, added: "Unison cannot and will not stand by and let our members, and the vital roles they carry out be treated in such a callous fashion.

"We will use every means available to us to save these jobs and services - at this stage we cannot rule out industrial action."

The stringent criticism has heaped more pressure on the authority around the suggestion staff were misled in the months leading up to the deal.

After angry workers leaked it to the media two weeks ago, the Conservative leadership insisted it was "not made aware in advance" of the cuts by Babcock and criticised a lack of communication from the company.

Babcock then responded by telling your Worcester News the council did know that serious job losses were planned, insisting it was kept aware throughout the negotiations.

The roles include all kinds of support like school admissions, post-16 education, teacher training, educational psychology, property advice and help for disabled pupils.

When the deal was launched on October 1 there was nothing announced about any impending or future job losses.

The funding being given to the company from the council, which is £3.8 million for this year, is being reduced 44 per cent to just £2.1 million by 2017.

The Tory leadership has insisted that any decisions on job losses must be made by the company, saying the structure of the workforce is up to them.

It also says its main focus is on making sure the contract, which is worth £38 million, delivers value for money and keeps the services to schools intact.

Councillor John Campion, the cabinet member for children and families, said: "We are focused on the outcomes we have agreed with Babcock to get the best results for our children and young people.

"We are in regular dialogue with Babcock to ensure that these outcomes are being delivered effectively."

The five-year contract has an option for a two-year extension.

Unison says it is holding talks with its members on three evenings this week, starting today, to help its investigative work.

* See what Babcock said about the council's knowledge of the job losses HERE - and a special report from when the news first emerged is HERE.