A new winter of discontent could be on the way after thousands of public sector workers joined a trade union over possible job losses at West Midland councils.

Unison, which represents council staff, has revealed more than 3,500 new people have signed up in the past three months in the region.

And its boss today said there was a “real possibility” of strike action. Wolverhampton City Council has 100 new members who joined in the second quarter of the year.

The council is currently freezing recruitment and vacancies will only be filled and advertised if deemed essential. Regional secretary Roger McKenzie said before the General Election that there was “no appetite for strike action”.

But speaking to the Express & Star today he said: “There is now, unfortunately, a real possibility that people will feel they have to exercise their right to withdraw their labour.

“There’s a lot of discontent among members and a lot of discontent among non-members.

“I think there is certainly a possibility of industrial action following the comprehensive spending review in the autumn.”

The Winter of Discontent was the name given to industrial action in the dying days of James Callaghan’s government in 1978 and 1979 when the government tried to impose a pay freeze.

Keith Heron, regional manager for Unison, said the increase in membership was from existing staff members rather than people who have recently started council jobs.

He said: “We have also seen a rise in the number of health workers in Wolverhampton joining the union. Across the rest of the Black Country we’ve had 250 new members at Walsall, Sandwell and Dudley Councils. “Throughout the rest of the West Midlands including Staffordshire, Birmingham and Worcestershire we’ve had 3,500 new members. Although we have not seen the effect of the cuts yet, they are worried about their job security.”

Understand

Wolverhampton City Council is preparing to make £70 million of cuts on top of £27m it is already making. The council’s human resources chief Councillor Joan Stevenson said: “The comprehensive spending review will be released in October but it will be December before councils are able to say how they will react. I understand how people would seek out some form of protection at a time like this.”

She said the council consulted with unions before any decisions were made.