Councils accused of 'scare tactics'

7 July 2008 04:34am

Local authority employers have been accused of using "scare tactics" to try to persuade staff not to join a two-day strike by hundreds of thousands of council workers in a bitter row over pay.

Unison said a number of councils, including those in Devon, Watford, Stockton-on-Tees and Fylde in Lancashire, had written to employees warning they would lose pay and have their pension service broken because of the walkout on July 16 and 17 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

More than 600,000 teaching assistants, school cleaners and cooks, social workers, librarians, surveyors, refuse collectors, sports centre staff and other employees will go on strike after rejecting a 2.45% pay offer.

Heather Wakefield, Unison's head of local government, said: "It's clear that local government employers are now resorting to co-ordinated scare tactics.

"Letters are going out to all councils urging them to write individually to staff showing how much money and pension they will lose, if they take strike action.

"Strike action is always a last resort and sending out intimidating letters to loyal local government staff will not help to solve this dispute.

"Instead of making threats, councils should be urging the employers to get back round the negotiating table and come up with a better deal to avoid the necessity for strike action and disruption to local services."

Unison is seeking a pay rise of 6% or 50p an hour, whichever is the greater, and has attacked the below inflation offer, especially in the light of rising fuel, food and housing costs.

A letter sent to employees of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council spells out exactly how much money workers will lose over the two days of strike action - ranging from £90 for the lowest paid to more than £300 for higher earners.

The letter said the 2.45% offer would have to increase to 3.2% simply for staff to recover the money they will lose by taking action, adding: "Please think carefully before going on strike."

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