"Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: The way the LGA has conducted pay negotiations has been nothing short of a disgrace. Craft workers who do difficult and highly skilled jobs deserve better than the LGA playing politics with their livelihoods and imposing a poor pay offer without negotiations. They will have Unite's full backing throughout this dispute which is of the LGA's own making."
"Jason Poulter, Unite national officer for construction, added: Craft workers play an essential role in maintaining council homes and deserve to have these skills recognised with a fair pay offer. These strikes will be very disruptive in the areas we have targeted for ballots, but it is entirely the fault of the LGA which has consistently refused to negotiate with Unite despite several attempts on our part to stop this dispute."
Around 1,000 council maintenance workers represented by Unite rejected a 3.2% pay offer and will vote on strike action over a 2025 pay rise. The initial ballot covers staff at Southwark, Newham, Durham, Leeds, Stoke-on-Trent, Dudley and Bristol, with potential for more councils to join. The vote mainly affects housing maintenance craft workers such as plumbers and heating engineers. The Local Government Association presented a full and final 2025 pay offer without negotiations. Unite members are also involved in ongoing bin strikes in Birmingham that have been extended into September.
Read at www.standard.co.uk
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