Wednesday July 16, 02:25 PM
Council Workers Strike Over Pay
By Sky News
Hundreds of thousands of council workers and civil servants are striking over pay, with schools and rubbish collection among the services expected to be badly disrupted. The walkout by members of three unions will lead to the closure of schools,
libraries, museums and civic offices across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Refuse pick-ups will also be cancelled.
Unison and Unite said they expected more than half a million workers to take part in the 48-hour strike today and tomorrow in protest at a pay offer of 2.45%.
"The pounds in local government workers' pockets are turning to pennies," said Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison.
"The cost of everyday essentials like milk, bread, petrol, gas and electricity are going through the roof - our members cannot afford to take another cut in their pay.
Mr Prentis said that local authorities could use "£3bn worth of efficiency savings" to settle the strike immediately.
"There is no need to ask the Government for more, no need to put up council taxes and no need to cut jobs or services," he said.
But local government employers stressed that 2.45% was the final offer and warned that a bigger rise would have to be funded through higher council taxes or cuts in services.
"It is disappointing that the unions are taking staff out on strike when only 7% of them voted for industrial action," said Jan Parkinson, managing director of the local government employers.
"Council workers will lose two days' pay and many of them can ill-afford this.
"The settlement on the table is affordable to the council tax payer and will also make sure local government continues to be an attractive place to work.
"Employees on the lower grades will also receive an extra £100 a year, which equates to an overall pay increase of 3.3%."
Members of the Public and Commercial Services union, including driving test examiners and coastguards, will also take industrial action in the next few days over a separate pay dispute.
Driving test examiners will strike today, while staff at the Valuation Office Agency will take industrial action today and Thursday.
Home Office and Land Registry workers will strike for part of Friday, coastguards will launch a 48-hour stoppage on Friday while employees at the Identity and Passport Service will strike for 72 hours from July 23.
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