Wiltshire Traffic Wardens Balloted For Further Strike Action To Mark Second Anniversary of GMB's Longest Running Dispute
GMB, the union for Wiltshire Council, has called a further strike ballot of traffic wardens opposing the removal of a 10% unsocial hours allowance, that would see each of them lose about £180 per month in take home pay.
WILTSHIRE TRAFFIC WARDENS BALLOTED FOR FURTHER STRIKE ACTION TO MARK SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF GMB'S LONGEST RUNNING DISPUTE
GMB, the union for Wiltshire Council, has called a further strike ballot of traffic wardens opposing the removal of a 10% unsocial hours allowance, that would see each of them lose about £180 per month in take home pay.
Social workers who provide the out of hours service are already planning a three-day strike, starting Friday 16th February, over a loss of a 20% allowance that will see them each lose from £500 to £750 per month.
Andy Newman, GMB Branch Secretary explains:
"Unbelievably, we are now at the second anniversary of this dispute, which was first raised in February 2022. The senior managers at Wiltshire Council, led by "Terrible Terence" Herbert, the Chief Executive, are determined to cut pay for the key front-line staff, despite Wiltshire Council boasting of their good financial position compared with other councils.
"Whereas any reasonable employer would have compromised by now, Wiltshire Council is threatening to ram the pay cuts through, using the unethical practice of "fire and rehire". Letting an industrial dispute continue for two full years is a sign of poor management.
"The council have offered to "protect" the pay until December 2027 for existing staff, which delays the pain, but doesn't stop it. However, they are using bullyboy tactics by making that pay protection conditional on staff voluntarily agreeing to the pay cut.
"GMB and other unions have warned Wiltshire Council that we believe that threatening staff over pay protection is unlawful, and even were it lawful it would be the desperate tactic of a cowboy employer. It is not too late for the council to withdraw this threat"
