Why next week’s strike matters to Housing Association workers

This is from our branch newsletter which calls for our members to support the strike on Thursday. 

"On Saturday 5 July UNISON and other Health unions will be holding a day of action over low pay. While on Thursday 10 July there will be Strike Action by UNISON and other Council and teaching unions.

Although the vast majority of Housing Association members’ pay is not directly affected by these disputes, this is our fight as well. In our sector, many have also endured years of wage freezes or below inflation pay "rises".

I suspect that the average housing management worker is in real terms around a 5th poorer than they were in 2009. That means you can now buy 20% less with your pay than in the past.

Even worse, those in Care & Support have seen radical pay cuts in basic pay and suffered minimum wage rates and cuts to overtime and weekend working. We must never forget that these pay cuts were the result of a worldwide recession caused by greedy and dishonest bankers - not front line customer service staff, cleaners and care assistants.

It matters to all of us because we need to make low pay and our cost of living crisis a key political issue in the run up to the General Election next year. Effective, organised and well targeted and publicised industrial action can help make this happen.

So let us all do what we can to support our UNISON comrades taking action on July 5th and July 10th. Tell your friends and family about why they are striking and how all of us are worth a pay rise. See you on the picket line!

John Gray, Branch Secretary"

Council staff to go on Strike on 10 July over 5th consecutive year of Pay Cuts

UNISON members who work in Local Government will be out on strike over pay cuts on Thursday 10 July. I believe that other unions will also be out on that day including the National Union of Teachers.

5 consecutive years of real term pay cuts to predominantly already low paid workers providing vital public services is just unacceptable.

Below are some of the powerful arguments being put out by UNISON about why this strike is necessary.  Enough is enough. 

"The employer’s side of the National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Government Services, which covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland, refuses to renegotiate on its 1% final offer.

The trade union side claim to the NJC this year was designed to call a halt to poverty pay in local government and schools.

The trade unions are seeking a minimum of £1 an hour for employees on NJC terms and conditions to make the living wage rate the bottom pay rate in local government and - because everyone on NJC pay is low paid for the jobs they do - the same flat rate increase on all other pay points".

"They really need it. They had a pay freeze from 2010 until 2013, followed by a 1% increase in 2013 when inflation was 2%. Now they have been offered another pay cut – 1%, while inflation is 2.5%. Their basic pay is the lowest in the public sector".

"Over one million NJC workers (two thirds) earn less than £21,000 a year. That's below the government's 'low pay' threshold and over £5,500 less than annual median earnings in the economy in 2012".

"Over half a million local government workers earn less than the living wage of £7.65 per hour".

"workers in local government have seen an 18% drop in basic pay in real terms since 2010".