A COUNCIL worker from Ellesmere Port says morale is at an all-time low after new terms and conditions were announced last week.
Among the changes, which will save £3.9m a year, are a reduction in mileage rates and premium payments for weekend working. The authority says the move will harmonise contracts across the four predecessor authorities.
Last week, council leader Mike Jones appeared on regional TV news to defend the move.
But the employee we spoke to claims he will lose £50 a week under the new terms and slammed the ‘hypocrisy’ of council leader Mike Jones – who will not suffer any drop in salary.
The Streetscene team worker refused to be named, but insisted ‘morale is at rock bottom’ since news council cost saving would hit salaries.
He said: “Steve Robinson got a one-off payment of £60,000 just for overseeing the local elections.
“These two hypocrites are telling us to take pay cuts. Imagine how much it would save if they took even a 5% pay cut.”
“There’s people a lot lower than us – I really feel for them.
“It stinks to high heaven what they’re doing.”
Ray McHale, of West Cheshire Unison, claims 9,000 employees at Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) face the sack if they do not sign new contracts by November 11.
But Mr McHale says a consultative ballot of 3,000 Unison members indicates a willingness to strike over the issue.
He said: “We have got a lot of angry members out there who are going to take industrial action. We are looking potentially at taking some action among the Streetscene staff before Christmas.”
CWaC’s staffing committee backed the plans but made concessions including retaining a 10% pay enhancement for evening cover and staff earning less than £17,000, who were due to lose 5% of their pay.
Council leader Mike Jones said: “We have to save more than £38m over the next four years to meet the requirements of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review.
“These savings will go some way to achieving that but will also help towards maintaining front line services – our main priority – protecting jobs in the future and creating a fairer system.
“Currently terms and conditions vary greatly among employees of the four legacy authorities absorbed into the unitary council – unfairly favouring some members of staff against their colleagues.”
