Unison members in Plymouth have issued a legal challenge to the city council after they were excluded from future negotiations.

The union is to hold a rally and meeting at the Guildhall, starting at midday today.

The city council made the decision to de recognise them when they refused to sign an agreement which would mean some staff lost their contractual overtime.

The authority says the union's leadership went against the members' ballot results and that it would have had to make more people redundant if it hadn't taken this action.

But Unison say the agreement discriminates against women, claiming many would also lose their maternity pay.