WREXHAM COUNCIL workers will go on strike again for a period of three weeks later this month, it has been announced.
Initial industrial action was called by Unite the Union nationwide earlier this month, with disruption expected to some services for two weeks.
Now, Unite the Union has announced that its members - including those at Wrexham Council - will strike for a further three weeks from September 25 to October 15.
Unite say that workers there are currently in the middle of their first round of industrial action which will end on September 17.
Unite members say they have 'overwhelmingly rejected' the local authority employers’ pay offer of just £1,925, a poorer offer than last year and a real terms pay cut.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Local Authority workers in Wales have seen their pay decimated in recent years. Despite this, their employers think it's acceptable to propose what amounts to real terms pay cut, when workers increasingly can’t make ends meet.
“There has been silence from local authority employers during this strike action. Our members are not backing down and we will now escalate the industrial action until Local Authorities start negotiating with us. Unite will be providing our members with its complete support during this dispute.”
Unite has members across every department within Welsh Local Authorities.
Unite has warned that the strike action will have a 'major impact' on refuse collections and recycling centres, in particular.
Wrexham Council has prioritised black bin collections since the strikes began last on September 4, but other services such as green bins and recycling bin collections have been affected.
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Peter Hughes, Unite Wales Regional Secretary said: “These strikes are about the scourge of low pay within local authorities. It can’t be acceptable for council workers who provide essential public services to be earning salaries that are barely above the national minimum wage.”
“Welsh councils must stop hiding behind the position of the Local Authority Pay Body and see what they can do to improve our members' terms and conditions at a local level. Until they do this our industrial action will continue”.
Councils are not legally bound to follow the local government pay increase and can pay a higher rate to workers if they wish to do so.
Wrexham Council has been approached for comment on the matter.
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