Birmingham is poised for standstill, with the second council strike in as many months coinciding with the first national teachers’ strike in 21 years.
Thousands of council workers caused disruption two months ago with their strike over pay, which saw schools, libraries and leisure centres close and rubbish collections axed.
The strike planned for 23 and 24 April is, once again, over plans to impose a new pay structure, which workers claim they have not been consulted over.
GMB organiser, Ann Lafferty, said the council only had itself to blame for the imminent action, and accused it of attempting to ‘bully’ its workers into accepting new contracts.
‘If Birmingham City Council had spent even part of the last 10 years preparing to fulfil its legal obligations to its workforce in treating them fairly, it would not now be faced with thousands of its workers taking official action against it, and this dispute would not have happened in the first place,’ she said.
A council spokesman said: ‘We are disappointed with the call for strike action. The offer on the table is fair and reasonable.’
Birmingham’s imminent action comes as industrial action looms again in town halls across the country, following union leaders’ rejection of the last pay offer of 2.45%, after the Department of Health offered NHS workers a deal of 2.75%.
Almost half of all schools in England and Wales look set to close after six out of 10 teachers supported the NUT’s action for a one-day strike on 24 April.
Speaking earlier this month, prior to his sudden death on
5 April, NUT general secretary, Steve Sinnott, said: ‘Striking will never be an easy choice for teachers, but action now could help prevent increasing damage through teacher shortages and low morale.’
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