6:56pm Tuesday 15th July 2008
By Jonathan Moyes
A ROW over council workers' pay has boiled over into two days of strike action.
Currently the local authority is offering staff a 2.45 per cent pay rise but Unison, the T&G and Unite unions are demanding a six per cent increase.
This impasse has led council workers nationwide to strike for 48 hours, starting today (Thursday).
David Knight, Waltham Forest Unison branch chairman, said: "The council's new chief executive is expected to receive £200,000 a year.
"Council bosses receive six figure salaries, an average rise of 4.6 per cent for them last year. Personnel bosses have seen their pay increase by 15 per cent in 2007 to bring their average pay up to £73,000.
"The council can afford to pay consultants large sums - KPMG are getting £1.4 million to lead the efficiency review - yet they tell us no money is available and we will need to tighten our belts. But there's nothing left to tighten."
Cllr Keith Rayner, finance, risk, and governance cabinet member, replied: "Local authorities across England are experiencing increasing financial pressures, coupling higher demands for services with lower government grants, and the council is not exempt from these issues."
All bar two secondary schools in Waltham Forest are closed to students because of the industrial action and half of the borough's primary schools are also shut.
Rubbish and recycling will not be collected nor will the streets be swept.
Housing manager Ascham Homes and the Youth Offending Team at Rowan House are also severely affected by the industrial action.
The majority of the council's libraries will be closed, with North Chingford and Leytonstone the only ones to remain open.
Social services and children's services will be running at a reduced level but the William Morris Gallery and Vestry House Museum, the borough's register office and leisure centres are not affected.
The council is advising those with appointments at Waltham Forest Direct shops that they should still attend.
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