UNISON members have voted to fight privatisations and cutbacks in Oxford council services and said they would not rule out strike action if councillors press ahead with plans to save 3m.

The 150-strong branch yesterday voted unanimously to challenge any plans to make cuts in next year's spending which would result in job losses or services being privatised or closed.

The branch will also turn out for a mass lobby on Monday's meeting where the council's leisure services committee is due to consider savings options. These include handing over Oxford Ice Rink, Ferry Sports Centre, the outdoor Hinksey Pools, Blackbird Leys pool, Northway sports centre and east Oxford games hall to a charitable trust.

Unison has produced a report for the committee, proposing a number of strategies, including bringing in experts to promote and market the council's leisure centres and selling off council property and investing the money in them.

Branch secretary Martin Gregory said: "Oxford City Council will not get away with privatisations and cutbacks in staffing levels without a fight from this union. "Staffing levels are already cut to the bone to the extent that workplace stress has become a health problem.

"I do not rule out industrial action if some of the management's mad privatisation ideas are adopted by the council."

He said the branch would seek a meeting with Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Oxford East MP Andrew Smith to argue for a better deal for local government.

The move is the latest in the union branch's Keep Our Leisure Centre Public Campaign, which has received huge support.

Thousands of people have signed the campaign petition. Both the petition and the lobby have the support of Oxford and District Trades Union Council.

Leisure committee chairman Jim Campbell said last week something had to be done because the council's leisure centres were losing money and many buildings were in a bad state of repair.