Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed by North Tyneside council will begin strike action next month in a dispute over pay.

Pay rejected

The 260 plus workers have rejected the national pay offer of a flat rate increase of £1,925. The offer is below the rate of inflation and amounts to a real terms pay cut.

The workers will initially take strike action on Wednesday 6 and 13 September.

Strike action will affect services across the council however, Unite members are predominantly in building trades, health visitors, school and nursery nurses, admin roles and bereavement services.

Frontline services

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our members provide critical frontline council services. Despite the essential roles our members undertake their employer thinks it is acceptable to propose what amounts to yet another real terms pay cut, at a time when they increasingly can’t make ends meet.

“Unite never takes a backward step in supporting its members and is dedicated to enhancing their jobs, pay and conditions. Unite will be providing members at North Tyneside with its complete support.”

Financial misery

A survey of Unite members in local authorities, has highlighted how years of pay freezes and below inflation pay deals has resulted in workers facing desperate financial choices. The survey found:

  • Nearly half (48 per cent) have struggled to afford heating, electricity and water bills 
  • 30 per cent have struggled to afford food and clothing
  • Almost a quarter (23 per cent) are skipping meals to save money
  • 17 per cent have struggled to meet rent and mortgage payments
  • Six per cent have been forced to use food banks.

Councils are not legally bound to follow the local government pay increase and can pay a higher rate to workers if they wish to do so.

A total of 23 local authorities have voted for industrial action in the dispute which will escalate next month and throughout the autumn.

Major disruption services 

Unite regional officer Dave Telford said: “The proposed strike action will inevitably cause major disruption to council services but this dispute is a direct result of local government employers failing to value workers and properly reward them for their hard work.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

For media enquiries ONLY please contact Unite senior communications advisor Barckley Sumner on 07802 329235.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @unitetheunion Facebook: unitetheunion1 Instagram: unitetheunion Web: unitetheunion.org

Unite is the UK and Ireland’s leading union fighting to protect and advance jobs, pay and conditions for members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.