Council voted in closed council on Wednesday to revoke its "no forced redundancy" policy and to cut four outdoor parks and property jobs and one part-time and three full-time jobs in environment and health, financial services and strategic planning.

Some of the workers who had waited outside the chamber for 2.5 hours for the decision reacted with shouts and tears as general manager Mike Hyde announced the decision.

Earlier, about 60 workers swarmed into the meeting chamber in the hope that council would discuss the issues in open session, with a further 20 waiting in the foyer outside.

Attempts by Cr Jim Clark and Cr Sara Murray to have the jobs cuts publicly debated were voted down, to cries of "shame" from the staff.

United Services Union (USU) organiser Mick Neilson said the union would take the matter to the Industrial Commission.

He did not rule out further workplace action.

"I'm very disappointed with the decision," he said. "They didn't have the courage to debate in open council.

"They hid behind closed doors to come to a decision in which staff and ratepayers had no input."

Mr Neilson said staff were angry about how council had handled the redundancies, claiming council had "targeted" individual workers instead of calling for voluntary redundancies.