CHESTER could be left with depleted CCTV coverage this Easter bank holiday weekend as strike action escalates across several council departments.
Unison’s West Cheshire branch spokesman Ray McHale says five CCTV operators are refusing to monitor screens, potentially affecting surveillance in Chester, Ellesmere Port, Northwich and Winsford although the authority says there are enough staff to cover.
Council staff who work unsocial hours are angry after Tory-controlled Cheshire West and Chester Council imposed ‘flat’ rates of pay from Monday – meaning no extra pay for workers who do weekends, overtime or bank holidays.
Some care workers who run respite homes for the elderly and centres for children with special needs, a children’s home and look after vulnerable adults are also striking although this does not mean all those establishments will have to close.
The authority is so concerned at having insufficient cover it is offering ‘double time’ to entice some care staff into work.
Library staff are also going on strike again for the third consecutive weekend. Neston market will be closed although Chester will remain open and Ellesmere Port market will be open on Saturday.
This week unions Unison, GMB and Unite have been speaking to council management with the assistance of the conciliation service ACAS but to no avail.
Maria Moss, Unison regional organiser, said: “The morale from the staff perspective is extremely low. Staff have been forced to sign contracts they don’t want to sign.
“They are forced into the situation of having to take strike action. It’s a last resort but they have to because the council has been intransigent with regards to these terms and conditions. Other councils have managed to do it. They are national terms and conditions.”
About 900 council staff have also withdrawn the use of their personal cars during working hours because of a reduction in the car allowance.
The Tory-led council says the new contracts, which save the council £4m a year, are necessary to harmonise terms and conditions between employees of the four legacy authorities which were replaced by CWaC in 2009.
Staffing committee chairman Cllr Alan McKie said: “We are extremely disappointed that the unions have chosen to take this industrial action.
“The new contract – necessary to harmonise the varying terms and conditions of the four legacy authorities – has already been agreed by 100% of the council’s workforce.
“Some of the striking workers have already accepted a one-off special payment made to staff earning less than £17,000 per year.”
