EPPING FOREST: Union prepares for strike action

1:11pm Tuesday 24th June 2008

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DISTRICT council leader Di Collins says the authority will wait and see what strike action is planned by council workers in a dispute over pay before deciding how to "mitigate the effect on our residents".

Members of the trade union Unison have voted to reject a 2.45 per cent pay offer and take industrial action, which is likely to take the form of a two-day all-out strike in July.

Those balloted include binmen, teaching assistants, social workers, cleaners and housing benefit workers, and the strike would cause major disruption to key community services.

Mrs Collins said: "I understand in the current economic climate why council staff would want a bigger pay rise.That has to be balanced against the impact of increased costs on council tax. We've yet to see the detail of any proposed strike action."

She added: "Once we know what is intended we will be able to assess the potential impact on services and how we might mitigate the effect on our residents.

"In the meantime, I hope the unions and the employers' representatives will get back round the negotiating table and resolve the matter."

Unison says 250,000 council workers earn less than £6.50 an hour and most of them are women. They are demanding a six per cent pay rise or 50p extra an hour, whichever is greater.

Unison eastern regional head of local government Ian Barber said: "The employers should be in no doubt, the members have voted for a programme of sustained and escalating strike action because they are sick of being treated as the poor relations of the public sector."

Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said members were "fed up and angry that they are expected to accept pay cut after pay cut, while bread and butter prices go through the roof."

The union's negotiators are set to make a decision about what action to recommend to the national strike committee in due course.