130 housing repair workers were set to take strike action in a dispute over pay and conditions at Southwark Council. However, this has been called off last minute as a deal has been reached.
This deal follows local agreements in Tower Hamlets and Newham where workers have won pay increases.
Why were workers going to strike?
Strikes were set to occur on 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20 October due to poor pay and outdated working conditions. The housing repair workers 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 when Unite is seeking a pay increase of RPI + two per cent. The workers have also been excluded from two years of London weighting increases amounting to £860.
Southwark also operates an out-of-date hierarchical annual leave system where the more senior you are the more holidays you get. The chief executive gets 36 days but apprentices get just 26.
Despite the essential role housing repair workers pay, staff did not want to take a real term pay cut, with Unite the Union supporting its members in their fight for better pay and fairer conditions.
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.
Reaching an agreement
Workers called off strike action after a deal was reached to provide an additional £400 on London weighting payment alongside an extra day’s annual leave. The workers’ London weighting pay increase has been backdated to 1 April 2022 meaning they will get an extra £700 in their November pay packet.
Unite the Union
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Once again local government workers are taking the initiative and improving their pay and conditions. It proves that there’s nothing to stop councils reaching local deals. Unite never takes a backward step in supporting its members and is dedicated to enhancing their jobs, pay and conditions.”
Unite regional officer, Mary Summers said: “Southwark council housing repair workers joined forces for a better deal and they’ve secured more money and more time off for themselves and their families. The workers are to be congratulated.”
Final thought
The proposed strike action would have caused much disruption across Southwark and the terms of the agreement demonstrate the valuable work housing repair workers do across the borough.
