Gwynedd Council staff are set to strike next week in a dispute over pay.
Council staff that are members of union Unite will go on strike from Monday, 11 September. Unite members in Cardiff and Wrexham councils started their strike action on Monday, 4 September, and will strike until Sunday, 17 September.
They will be joined by workers at Gwynedd Council who will strike from Monday, 11 September until Sunday, 17 September.
Unite members at Cynon Valley Waste have also voted for strike action, with dates for their action still to be finalised.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Welsh council workers are on the frontline providing vital services to communities across Wales. It is simply unacceptable that workers have been forced onto the breadline due to years of real terms pay cuts.”
“Unite never takes a backward step in supporting its members and is dedicated to enhancing their jobs, pay and conditions. Unite will be providing its local authority members with its complete support.
”Unite has members across every department within Welsh Local Authorities. The strike action will have a major impact on refuse collections and recycling centres, in particular, the union said.
Peter Hughes, Unite Wales Regional Secretary said: “The current pay offer to Welsh council workers is a slap in the face and would see pay levels further eroded. Our members provide essential services day in day out and deserve better. Unless an improved pay offer is forthcoming this industrial action will only escalate as we head into the autumn months”.A survey of Unite members in local authorities, earlier this summer, highlighted how years of pay freezes and below inflation pay deals has resulted in workers facing desperate financial choices. The survey found:
- Nearly half (48 per cent) have struggled to afford heating, electricity and water bills
- 30 per cent have struggled to afford food and clothing
- Almost a quarter (23 per cent) are skipping meals to save money
- 17 per cent have struggled to meet rent and mortgage payments
- Six per cent have been forced to use food banks
Tensions in the dispute have risen dramatically following a “dismissive and patronising” letter sent by local authority employers refusing to even enter into negotiations and stating its initial offer was “full and final”.
Following the initial September strikes, Unite will be escalating the industrial action throughout the autumn, with coordinated action, longer periods of strikes and more members joining the dispute.
Gwynedd Council has been asked to comment on the strike and what services will be affected.