Southampton city council workers have expressed their anger at the latest dirty tricks by the authority, in their long-running pay dispute.
The Tory council is proposing to use £600,000 saved from its wage bill – the result of firing and rehiring staff on lesser pay – to meet compensation claims.
“It is outrageous that the council is proposing to make those it unlawfully dismissed and re-hired on low pay meet any compensation payments,” said UNISON branch secretary Mike Tucker.
“It is the councillors who have acted unlawfully who should meet the cost, not hard-working council workers.”
In July last year council employees were given a stark choice – sign new contracts on worse pay and conditions, or lose their jobs altogether.
Since then they have taken part in a series of strikes, while unions have attempted to win a better deal from the authority.
Last month UNISON and Unite unanimously agreed that there was “no option” but to continue action until nationally agreed pay levels were restored.
Action short of strike is to continue, leading to a demonstration and industrial action on 10 April.
The unions also planned a joint lobby of the council meeting on 15 February, with the theme, “One year on, council workers still say no to pay cuts”.
At the same time, UNISON, Unite and UCATT are taking legal action against the council for its failure to consult on the mass dismissals, for failure to adequately consult on over 250 redundancies which took place in 2011, and for unfairly dismissing almost 1,000 UNISON and Unite members.
The council’s response has been to propose a Pay Reserve Fund, transferring £600,000 into it each year for legal bills and compensation payments.
(09/02/11 – update) UNISON and Unite will hold a rally and lobby of the council next Wednesday, 15 February, under the slogan: “One Year On and we still say no to pay cuts!”.
The rally will start at 1.0pm at the Front Car Park, Civic Centre, Southampton.