Kirklees UNISON Vote for strike action

From The Mirfield Reporter

(Remind me who the Branch Secretary of this excellent Branch is again?)

UNION bosses have warned the council to expect strike action unless their members' pay and conditions improve.
Members of Kirklees Unison this week voted overwhelmingly in support of industrial action in one of the largest meetings the union has held in years.

It is now seeking a strike ballot of the national union to support its action.

The union – which represents around 8,500 council workers in Kirklees – says workers' pensions and public services are under threat by council cutbacks.

Kirklees branch secretary Paul Holmes said: "Our members haven't taken this decision lightly – they are being bombarded by attempts to cut their pensions, their jobs, their pay and their rights.

"I have spoken to members who are shaking with fear over uncertainty and threats – uncertainty is rife."

Mr Holmes highlighted the effect of the Single Status agreement – designed to overcome salary inequality between men and women – on the pay conditions of council workers and public services.

He said: "We ask the public to support local authority workers in Kirklees. The closure of cash offices, the failure to grit, reductions in homecare, closure of libraries, residential homes, schools and increases in council charges help no-one."

Last month, the authority announced plans to offer every council worker voluntary redundancy as it tries to slash its budget by 20 per cent.

It says it will continue working with the unions to meet the financial pressures it is under and avoid to compulsory redundancies.

The council's chief executive Rob Vincent said: "Over the last two years the council has worked closely with all the trade unions to address Single Status and the challenge of the innovation and efficiency programme, and this work will continue over the next two years."