Southampton City Council pay cuts talks resumed

Council chiefs and union leaders met yesterday for the first time in over a month to thrash out an improved pay deal after three months of strikes left the streets of Southampton blighted with mountains of uncollected rubbish.

Unions said “some progress”

had been made but warned strikes could resume as social care workers meet today to discuss more walkouts.

The council has warned staff they face dismissal if they go on strike again as a 12-week period of legal protection for industrial action has ended.

Southampton City Council claims its pay cuts of between two and 5.5 per cent – brought in under threat of dismissal in July – will protect 400 jobs as it seeks to save £75m over the next three and half years.

Up to 2,400 Unison and Unite members at the council are continuing work-to-rule industrial action in protest at the pay cuts and the first wave of around 800 unfair dismissal claims are due to be submitted this week that could cost the council millions.

A separate legal claim that the council failed to consult with the unions about its plan to dismiss workers if they didn’t sign up to worse contracts is also pending, worth up to £12m.

Almost 600 union members four weeks ago rejected by 4-1 a “final” pay proposal that would have lifted half the council workforce out of pay cuts and restored some of the pay cuts to others.

Unions said “some progress”

was made in negotiations yesterday.

The council is considering its financial options. Unison branch secretary Mike Tucker said: “It’s a positive development that both sides are meeting again.

“We’ve got a unique opportunity while there is no strike action.

“We hope the council will seize this opportunity and made a realistic proposal which will allow the settlement of this dispute. If not strike action is likely to resume.”

Council leader Cllr Royston Smith said: “We had good talks and I remain optimistic we can find a solution.” he said.