More than 200 Tower Hamlets Council workers downed tools on September 18 after rejecting the national local government pay offer of a flat increase of £1,925.
Initially due to run until October 1, the action has been extended by a further two weeks after management failed to make an improved offer at a meeting on September 15, according to the union Unite.
Unite’s regional officer, Nick West, told LondonWorld the workers do not want to strike, but that they "see no alternative to be able to address the cost of living crisis specifically for them".
Initially due to run until October 1, the action has been extended by a further two weeks after management failed to make an improved offer at a meeting on September 15, according to the union Unite.
Unite’s regional officer, Nick West, told LondonWorld the workers do not want to strike, but that they "see no alternative to be able to address the cost of living crisis specifically for them".
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Currently behind me there's a demo, it's public services coming together, both workers from the Royal London Hospital,
00:09 both Unite and BMA members and Unite members from Telfhamlet's Refuge and Cleansing Service,
00:15 coming together to demonstrate over their strike.
00:19 They're currently both on strike over pay disputes, but also there are other issues at play,
00:24 which both the NHS and Telfhamlet's Council, as well as the government, can resolve if they want to come to the negotiating table with Unite to resolve that.
00:34 Can you tell me a little bit about the specific demands, what is it specifically that has been offered and that Unite are looking for?
00:41 So specifically I'm the officer for our members in the Refuge service here in Telfhamlet,
00:47 and we've come with solutions, we've come with two solutions, one was over a one-off cost of living payment.
00:53 I don't need to tell anybody that the cost of living crisis is affecting absolutely everybody in this borough,
00:59 it's a very, very expensive borough to live in being so close to London and the costs that come with that.
01:05 So we've come forward with that, that was batted away by the Council,
01:09 there were other suggestions that we've come to, more sort of localised suggestions which might be able to resolve the dispute,
01:15 that was also batted away.
01:17 So we've said to the Council, it's really your time to come forward with a solution to us.
01:21 We've tried, we're here, we're ready to negotiate, we've just appointed for the Council to call us to the negotiating table.
01:27 You can see behind me, just beyond the stripe, you'll see that there's rubbish piling up.
01:32 It's been two days of strike action, our members have taken four weeks of strike action.
01:37 They don't want to have to do it but they see no alternative to be able to address the cost of living crisis,
01:44 it's specifically to them.
01:46 Ultimately, they're receiving support from the community, support from the whole trade union movement
01:51 and all we're saying to Tower Hamlets Council is please, let's get round the negotiating table and let's try and sort this out.