By Local Democracy Reporter Aled Thomas.
TRAFFIC wardens across Wiltshire, except Swindon, are going to go on strike again.
Civil enforcement officers employed by Wiltshire Council went on strike in the summer of 2022 and just before last Christmas, and the members of the GMB union have voted again for further strike action.
They are objecting to a proposed change in their contract with the council which they say would remove extra pay for unsocial hours, costing staff up to 20 per cent of their salaries.
The union also says the council has considered and sought advice on sacking all the wardens and re-employing them on the new contract- so-called “fire and rehire”.
The council has denied this has been considered, but the union says it has proof the council spoke to lawyers about it.
The strike ballot was held recently, with 100 per cent of members voting to take strike action, although the council says the actual numbers voting were very small.
GMB’s regional organiser, David McMullen said, “This overwhelming vote for further strike action by our members shows their utter determination to resist the proposed pay cut which has been threatened for a year and a half.
“GMB has been forced to run another strike ballot for our members by the intransigence from the council’s top bosses, who could have allowed the existing ballot to roll on.
“The council has been dragging its feet, deliberately withholding information from us and refusing to respond to GMB’s repeated attempts to seek a solution to this dispute.
“Council bosses have denied they have ever contemplated using ‘fire and rehire’, but GMB has in its possession documentary proof that in June 2022, the council sought legal advice from the solicitors Bevan Brittan, where section 3.7 of the solicitors’ response is advice to Wiltshire Council on “pushing through fire and rehire”.
“GMB would prefer an amicable, negotiated solution, but if the council don’t compromise, we are ready for the fight, with a fresh strike mandate.”
Andy Brown, Wiltshire Council’s deputy chief executive and corporate director of resources said, “It’s great to hear that GMB would ‘prefer an amicable, negotiated solution to this ongoing issue’, because this has been our position all along.
“However, GMB’s claim of an ‘overwhelming vote for further strike action’ is somewhat overstated, as only 23 members were balloted and of these, only 14 responded – we have more than 5,000 employees at Wiltshire Council.
“As we have stated throughout this process, we are keen to resolve this dispute through collective consultation, and so the continued reference to ‘fire and rehire’ is unhelpful. Like any reasonable employer, legal advice was sought on the process and options available, and this is an option that is available to employers. However, the fact that we have been engaged in collective consultation for nearly 18 months is evidence that we are looking for every possible way to avoid this outcome.
“In early April, we held another ACAS-facilitated meeting with GMB, but the union did not put forward any counter proposals to proposed changes to our unsocial hours policy.
“We will continue to work with all parties to try to reach an agreement so that our staff are fairly and appropriately rewarded while ensuring our policies are standardised, fit for purpose, financially viable and support delivery of the council’s business plan.”
Pictured: GMB traffic wardens vote for strike action.
