Council peace talks failure - another strike called
23 June 2011
Two and a half days of talks between the Southamnpton city
council, Unison / Unite representatives and the government’s
arbitration service have failed to settle the long-standing dispute
over the imposition of wage cuts on the council’s workforce.
At the talks, the trade unions offered to end their industrial
action and withdraw their legal action against the council, if the
council in turn withdrew the dismissal notices due to come into
effect on 10 July. From 11 July all council workers are
forced into accepting a pay cut or being dismissed. The trade
unions also offered intensive talks with the council to agree a
package of savings provided the Council withdrew the dismissal
notices. The council would not agree to this approach.
The talks were adjourned and no new date was agreed to meet.
Unison, this afternoon, has given the city council seven days
notice of another seven day strike. The strike will involve
20 children’s workers who work in the children’s contact
scheme. These are social care staff who supervise visits by
parents to children who are in care or subject to legal
proceedings. The industrial action will start on 30 June and
will last for seven days. The contact scheme workers will
join over 300 Unison / Unite members who start a seven day strike
on Tuesday 28 June.
Unison general secretary, Dave Prentis, is to visit Southampton
on 30 June and join the joint Unison / Unite march which is being
held that lunch-time. The march, which assembles at 12.30 pm
in East (Andrews) Park will march to the rally of striking teachers
and civil servants which is being held in Guildhall Square that
afternoon.
Unison branch secretary, Mike Tucker, commented: “We are
disappointed that the talks did not end in agreement. The
council’s decision to proceed with the mass dismissal of council
workers will not go unchallenged. Southampton city council is
the only council in the country taking this approach. The
Conservative administration needs to pull back from its
confrontation with the workforce."
Council managers are holding individual interviews with staff
who have not agreed to the new contract to determine who intends to
carry on working after 11 July. The council today has
announced a ban on any council staff taking leave in the week of 11
July because it is concerned that many workers will not agree to
the council’s wage cuts and will not report to work on 11 July.
Ian Woodland, Unite regional industrial organiser, commented:
“The unions have provided the council with the offer of stopping
all industrial action in return for them dropping the 11 July
sacking date of our members. Unfortunately the council
declined our offer but we are hopeful the administraion will see
sense and return to the table soon to settle this damaging
industrial dispute."
March details – 12.30pm East (Andrews) Park – Jurys Inn end of
park and march to Guildhall Square.
For details of picket lines on 28 and 30 June, contact the
Unison or Unite offices.
For more information contact:
- Mike Tucker, Unison branch secretary, on 023 8083 2740 or 07768
293689
- Ian Woodland, Unite regional industrial organiser on 07770
704480
- Mark Wood, Unite convenor on 07918 673741
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