COUNCIL STRIKES
Thousands of council workers protest over pay cuts…
Some of the ten thousand members of the Union UNISON, who work for Birmingham City Council, are not going to work because of changes to their contracts that could see them losing up to four thousand pounds a year.
The Contract, due to start on November 1st, removes extra pay for working evenings and weekends.
Unison wanted to strike on the final day of the Lib Dem conference in Birmingham, to make the point that in Birmingham, a Conservative – Liberal Democrat coalition is introducing a contract which will ruin the lives of thousands of low-paid council staff.
These changes will mainly affect frontline, lower paid workers like home carers, care workers in council elderly persons homes, librarians, cooks, cleaners, park wardens, social workers, security staff, and may hundreds more groups of council staff who provide round the clock services.
Between 6-8,000 staff stand to lose pay under the new Birmingham Contract. Thousands will lose 20-30% of their pay when the contract is fully introduced.
CASE STUDY: CATHERINE from Birmingham
OCCUPATION: Leisure Centre Receptionist (full time including weekends)
CURRENT SALARY: £13,000 NEW SALARY: £11,500
“I stand to lose just over £100 per month out of my wages under this new contract. I think it’s outrageous for me and my family. I don’t think it’s fair. The Halifax aren’t going to let me off that £100 on my mortagage. It amounts to £1500 per year.”
“I’ve worked for Birmingham City Council for more than twenty years. I have to work nine hours on a Saturday and nine hours on a Sunday and I work early mornings and I’ve always been paid a bit more for this. We simply will not be able to afford to pay the mortgage because of this.”
“I’m on a limited wage anyway, that’s not alot of money is it? I’m totally devastated by this. My husband works for the council as well and he’s going to lose money aswell. Some of the officers are on hundreds of thousands of pounds and they aren’t losing out. Why are the people on forty, fifty, sixty grand plus not losing out?”
CASE STUDY: GARY from Birmingham
OCCUPATION: Carer in an old people’s home who often works evenings and weekends.
CURRENT SALARY: £22,439 NEW SALARY: £15,509
“I think they’re squeezing everybody and getting them onto a single rate of pay at any hour they can – weekends nights. I think they want to get it privatised. We’re just at the sharp end. It’s not fair.”
