UNISON Cymru/Wales has pledged to keep the pressure on Bridgend County Borough Council to repeal its decision to withdraw from national pay negotiations.
In February, the council took the decision to withhold any pay increase for its workforce this year, apart from a 1% rise for the bottom two spinal points to avoid paying staff below the national minimum wage.
Bridgend is the only council in Wales to propose a withdrawal from national pay bargaining.
UNISON has launched a petition against council plan – you can find a link below.
Regional organiser Andrew Woodman said that the union was “disgusted with Bridgend’s decision to walk away from national pay bargaining.
“Their approach to these financial pressures is wholly unacceptable, particularly as they are a Labour-led authority.
“We urge the council, in the strongest possible sense, to reconsider their decision before it is too late.”
And he continued: “Walking away from national pay bargaining will do nothing more than drive down the pay of an already poorly-paid workforce, and this will be bad news for the workers and the people of Bridgend.
“We are willing to sit down with the council and discuss the budget challenges that we face and consider how those challenges can be met.”
But, said Mr Woodman, “UNISON is not prepared to stand by and allow the council to force our members out of a national pay agreement.
“We will fight Bridgend every step of the way on this matter, and we will be recommending that our members take industrial action to oppose the council’s unfair and short-sighted plans.”
Sign the petition against withdrawing from national bargaining here
