Cheshire West and Chester Council will strike on Valentine’s Day

Feb 9 2012 by David Holmes, Chester Chronicle

THERE’S no love lost between workers and bosses at the council as staff launch a programme of industrial action on Valentine’s Day.

Staff at Cheshire West and Chester Council staff, who are members of Unison, GMB and UNITE, will strike between 3-6pm next Tuesday over the authority’s imposition of new contracts.

There will be a mass demonstration outside the council HQ building at 3.30pm.

Tory council leaders say the changes are necessary to equalise terms and conditions between employees of the four legacy authorities which were replaced by CWaC in 2009.

But the unions say the move represents a deterioration in their members’ contracts which must be challenged with a stoppage.

Union leaders will then look at a number of on-going measures such as overtime bans, a work to rule and the withdrawal of personal cars. Š

This will be followed by a series of selective strikes by staff most affected by cuts to their enhancements such as care workers, library staff plus residential staff in schools, children’s homes and care homes. Š

Ray McHale, assistant branch secretary of West Cheshire Unison, said: “It is regrettable that we have been forced to take this action by the unacceptable and arrogant actions of the Conservative-led council but the council has refused to have any meaningful discussions, and are imposing new contracts which take £4 million per year out of the pocket of council staff.”

Mr McHale said support was being sought from the union both regionally and nationally. A Fighting Fund would be set up to help staff taking action.

The authority claims 96% of the workforce has signed the new contracts which will save £3.9m a year for reinvestment into front-line services.