26 September 2003
London councils will be hit by further strike action over pay next month, after Unison staff voted in favour of another walkout.
Staff in the capital currently receive an extra payment of between £1,500 and £2,850 to cover the higher cost of living in the city. Unison is demanding a flat rate of £4,000 for each worker, but employers are offering a London weighting increase of £201 per year.
The union announced that its members would walk out of town halls on October 16 – the day that it holds further talks with council bosses – after 80% of respondents backed the leadership's demands.
Council representatives dismissed the strike plan as 'disruptive and damaging', and argued that the pay claim would mean big council tax rises.
Cllr Ann John, chair of the employers' side of the Greater London Provincial Council negotiating committee, said: 'Councils are working hard to improve public services and most Londoners will wonder why all this should be put at risk by the unreasonable demands of a minority of trade union members.'
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