Depot workers prepare for ballot on Christmas strike

Waste, recycling and street-cleansing workers could strike over the holidays as the dispute over holiday pay back payments continues, reports Leïla Davaud

Barnet Council's Colindale head office — Barnet Council’s Colindale head office

Barnet’s streets could be covered in rubbish over the Christmas holidays as staff rejected Barnet Council’s latest offer to solve a long-running dispute over twelve years of underpayments.

Trade union Unison has registered a formal dispute with the council on behalf of every member who was allegedly underpaid holiday pay over twelve years while controversial outsourcing giant Capita ran the local authority’s payroll. The council says it complies with current legal requirements and disputes that the issue arose from a payroll error.

A formal Failure to Agree was noted at a meeting last Friday (9th), where depot workers rejected the council’s final offer of 18 months of back pay. They had already turned down that figure at the end of September, saying they would settle for six years instead of twelve.

The official industrial strike ballot is due to start in early November. John Burgess, Barnet Unison branch secretary, told Barnet Post: “We went into the meeting in good faith. We can’t say the same about the council.”

He continued: “They wouldn’t offer more than 18 months of back pay for twelve years of underpayment. The council left its employees no choice but to start an industrial strike ballot, which will last six weeks and should end around 19th December.”

If it comes back in favour of strike action, waste, recycling and street-cleansing workers will probably end up on strike over Christmas and New Year.

Burgess added: “People need to ask themselves what they would do if their employer failed to pay them properly and then refused to give them their hard-earned money in back payments. The depot workers don’t want to go on strike, but it’s the only way they will be taken seriously.

“So, there is a chance that the streets of Barnet will be covered in bins and rubbish over Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It is neither ideal nor merry, that is true, but the council has the opportunity to avoid it.”

In response, a Barnet Council spokesperson said: “Although there is no legal basis for a backdated claim, council officers recently met with Unison to engage constructively on this issue. Unfortunately, the meeting lasted only a few minutes, with Unison registering a dispute before meaningful discussion could take place.

“The council has already made an offer of 18 months to affected employees as a gesture of goodwill, while recognising its difficult financial circumstances and its responsibilities to residents and taxpayers.

“While we are disappointed that Unison is pursuing a formal dispute and consulting members on potential industrial action, we remain open to the meaningful dialogue Unison said it wanted, to find a mutually acceptable way forward.

“Should industrial action take place, the council will work to minimise disruption to residents and maintain essential services. We will keep residents, staff and service users informed of any impacts and contingency arrangements if required.”

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