Strike dates confirmed at three Welsh councils

The trade union Unite has confirmed that its members in three Welsh local authorities will begin taking strike action from 4 September in a dispute over pay.

The action comes after Unite members overwhelmingly rejected the local authority employers’ pay offer of £1,925, which the union said was a poorer offer than last year, despite the cost-of-living crisis having worsened.

Union members at both Cardiff and Wrexham Councils who will start continuous strike action between 4 September and 17 September.

They will be joined by workers at Gwynedd Council who will strike from 11 -17 September.

Unite members at Cynon Valley Waste have also voted for strike action, with dates for their action still to be finalised.

Unacceptable

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Welsh council workers are on the frontline providing vital services to communities across Wales. It is simply unacceptable that workers have been forced onto the breadline due to years of real terms pay cuts.”

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

Unite has members across every department within Welsh Local Authorities but the strike action will have a major impact on refuse collections and recycling centres, in particular.

Eroded

Peter Hughes, Unite Wales Regional Secretary said; “The current pay offer to Welsh council workers is a slap in the face and would see pay levels further eroded.

“Our members provide essential services day in day out and deserve better. Unless an improved pay offer is forthcoming this industrial action will only escalate as we head into the Autumn months”.

Tensions in the dispute have ratcheted up following what the union described as a “dismissive and patronising” letter sent by local authority employers refusing to even enter into negotiations and stating its initial offer was “full and final”.

Following the initial September strikes, Unite will be escalating the industrial action throughout the autumn, with coordinated action, longer periods of strikes and more members joining the dispute.