Reigate and Banstead Council has been accused of ‘flouting laws’ surrounding holiday pay for staff who consistently do overtime.
GMB say refuse workers at the council are contracted to work four days a week but in reality work five days a week. It claims the council is refusing to pay average holiday pay or move staff to a five day working week.
GMB is calling on the council to honour the ‘Bear Scotland’ tribunal decision in December 2014, which ruled that regular overtime should be taken into account when calculating holiday pay. Members will be holding a staff demo at the council on 24 April.
Frank Minal, GMB regional organiser said: ‘Instead of simply kicking this legal issue into the long grass, holiday pay should already been re-calculated to include the additional hours that GMB members are working on a weekly basis in light of the EAT December 2014 decision.
‘I don't think that a responsible local authority like Reigate and Banstead should simply flout laws. They should initiate the holiday pay calculation with immediate effect; if they want to argue regarding the back pay that's a completely different issue which will be determined nationally.’
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council’s streetscene manager, Frank Etheridge, said: 'Our discussions with staff representatives are ongoing with our next meeting scheduled for Wednesday 22 April where we hope to make progress on this issue.'
