Wirral braced for council workers’ two-day strike

Jul 16 2008 by Carrie Catterall, Birkenhead News

Unison

WIRRAL Council services will come to a standstill this week as union members strike for two days over a pay dispute.

Wallasey Town Hall, museums and theatres, call centres, one stop shops, cemeteries and crematoriums, leisure centres, libraries, beach patrols and all public buildings in parks will shut down today (Wednesday) and tomorrow.

The strike has also hit the much-anticipated Thornton Manor planning appeal, which was due to take place from today but has now been postponed until October.

More than 70 schools will also be closed for one or both strike days.

As the News went to press, a spokesman for Wirral Council said negotiations with unions were continuing on whether they would grant exemptions for staff working in residential and home care, council day centres and family centres.

UNISON’s local government members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland voted in favour of the strike by 55 per cent to 45pc over a 2.45pc pay offer.

The union's pay claim was for 6pc or 50p an hour - whichever was greater.

UNISON’s North West Regional Secretary Frank Hont said: “Many of our members are already on low wages – some 250,000 local authority workers are on £6.50 an hour, just 50p more than the minimum wage.

“Our members are going on strike because they can’t afford not to.”

Wirral Council’s waste collection contractor, Biffa, will not be striking.

However, some of the tipping stations where the bin wagons unload will be affected by strike action.

A Wirral Council spokesman said: “If your bin is due to be collected on Wednesday, July 16 or Thursday, July 17, please note grey recycling bins will not be collected on Wednesday or Thursday and will be collected on Saturday 19 July instead.

“Please ensure all bins are out by 7am for collection and that bins are out on the pavement in a prominent position, as the crews will be operating unfamiliar rounds and bins may be accidentally missed.”