More than 2,000 Barnet Council workers are set to strike this summer after members voted to protest against a below-inflation pay offer.

The public sector union Unison held a ballot for members across the country, who rejected a pay rise of 2.45 per cent and are angry at being expected to accept relative pay cuts while food and fuel prices go through the roof.

Inflation as measured by the retail price index is currently 4.3 per cent.

The strikes, which the Union says are likely to take place on July 17 and 18, will affect schools, hospitals, care homes and social services.

Barnet Unison branch secretary John Burgess said his members had been driven to act by the Government.

"We're treated like a Cinderella service but we do vital things," he said. "We're way down in the pecking order and people have had enough. What are our members going to do - not switch the lights on? Switch the heating off in the winter?

"Since I've been branch secretary we've not seen any pay awards above inflation. Since the Labour Government was elected they've been below. We're reaching a state where it's unsustainable and it's getting quite scary."

Mr Burgess rejected Chancellor of the Exch-equer Alistair Darling's call for low pay increases to calm inflation.

"I don't believe that council workers' pay awards cause inflation.

"When the bottom fell out of Northern Rock there was money to bail it out - and that's in the private sector. There's money for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. So where's the money when we need it?"

General secretary of Unison Dave Prentis said most members are low-paid workers who are being hit hardest by the rising cost of living.

He added: "Workers who have to use their cars for work are being hit hard too by spiralling fuel costs and they end up subsidising their employers."

The union's negotiating team will meet the industrial action committee on Friday to discuss plans for the strike.

A council spokesman would not comment on the implications of the strike at this stage.