Wiltshire traffic wardens go on strike from today
The ongoing dispute is over changes to unsocial hours pay
Traffic wardens across Wiltshire go on strike for a week from today, in a row over changes to unsocial hours pay.
The strike will go ahead despite last-minute talks held on Friday, between representatives from the GMB Union and Wiltshire Council officials.
It follows proposed changes to allowances paid to staff who undertake standby, call-out and who work during unsocial hours.
The dispute by GMB union members is over a proposal by Wiltshire Council to remove a 10 per cent contractual uplift from 350 staff, that would lead to a pay cut of £2,000 by traffic wardens, and a pay cut of £3,500 for social workers.
Staff in highways, building maintenance, leisure centres, and specialist care staff are also affected, GMB warned.
Keith Roberts, GMB Regional Organiser said:
“Our members who are facing a 10 per cent pay cut - or 20 per cent pay cut in the case of social workers - have a legitimate concern, and one that is grounds for a lawful trades dispute.
“The industrial action can only be resolved by talking, and GMB remains committed to talks which actually are focussed on averting industrial action.
“GMB are astonished that the council clerk has felt the need to communicate to the union in advance to say that they are not interested in talks focussed on ‘averting industrial action."
An eight-day strike action begins today (Saturday, 10 December) and is expected to last until Saturday, 17 December.
Parking restrictions and charges "remain in place"
Wiltshire Council says all parking restrictions and car parking charges - including at Salisbury and Amesbury car parks - remain in place across the county from 10-17 December.
A spokesperson from the local authority reminded that not all Civil Enforcement Officers are members of the GMB Union and insisted that "enforcement with the possibility of a penalty charge notice being issued will still continue" during the strike days.
Terence Herbert, Chief Executive of Wiltshire Council, said:
“While the strike is being held, car park users should continue to pay for parking as normal, as all charges and restrictions remain in place and we will have staff monitoring the sites."
GMB warned about the possibility of less than legal fines being issued if the council recruit untrained staff to monitor the sites.
“If untrained managers issue parking tickets, this is a potentially serious matter and if Wiltshire don’t follow the letter of the law, then every parking fine issued during the strike is open to legal challenge", said GMB Regional Organiser, Keith Roberts.
In response, Wiltshire Council insisted penalty notices will be enforceable, and all staff on duty will be fully trained.
“While the strike is being held (...) we will have trained staff monitoring all sites. Any penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued during the industrial action will be issued by trained staff and will be legally enforceable.
“Although no resolution has been reached today, we have offered to continue talks with the GMB. Strike action will not help move us forward in resolving this matter.
Union members have previously taken two days of strike action in May.
In October, following months of negotiations, a revised proposal was accepted by UNISON and Unite but rejected by GMB.
The council says it needs to make changes to some staff polices to ensure they reward staff fairly and consistently for the work they do and stressed that there are no proposals to cut the base pay of any council staff.