Traffic Wardens to strike over pay in Tory Heartland
After a decade of having their allowances frozen, GMB parking wardens for NSL parking in Westminster are set to strike over pay and conditions.
GMB parking wardens are set to strike in Westminster after unanimously voting to reject NSL Ltd’s pay offer.
100% of members voted to reject in a high turnout ballot, with nearly 80% of members voting.
Currently GMB members working for NSL are effectively just above the breadline, earning the basic London Living Wage of £10.75
Staff have not had their allowances uplifted for over a decade and do not get London Weighting despite working in Central London on an ex-local authority contract.
NSL have offered an extra twenty one pence per hour in a 3 year deal, which would see members losing in real terms. This years inflation figures meaning that staff would need at least double that to maintain their income in real terms. [1]
GMB are expecting traffic chaos in Westminster as London continues to open up after lockdown and as a consequence costing the Council tens of thousands a day in lost revenue. The RAC Foundation ranked Westminster Council as Number 1 for parking income generation within the UK.
GMB Officer, Paul Grafton said: “It’s not an unreasonable aspiration to have a reasonable wage for working in Central London.
“Already this year we’re seeing inflation rates climb, and yet the pay offer put forward by NSL would in real terms see staff salaries cut. NSL have told us that Westminster council have declined any wage uplift to that’s what has been offered.
Income wise Westminster Council have budgeted for a whopping £72 million from parking for years 2019/20, although COVID 19 may well have reduced this during the pandemic we have seen Westminster Council generate some £73 Million in parking income from just one year alone. [2]
“It’s clear that this isn’t the actions of a responsible employer, and we believe now it’s clear NSL don’t want the contract in Westminster
“If this is the case then they should walk away now and leave Westminster City council to run it in house.”
Media enquiries: GMB Press Office on 07958 156846 or at press.office@gmb.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
[1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/timeseries/doge/mm23
[2] English_council_parking_budget_tables_2019-20.pdf (racfoundation.org)
