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Staff walk out at two councils
7:22am Wednesday 16th July 2008
TWO out of four councils in south Bucks will be hit by pay strikes today - but bosses insist it should be business as usual.
Staff at Wycombe District and Chiltern District Council will walk out as part of a national day of action by Unison today and tomorrow.
A statement from Wycombe said: "Our offices will be open from 8.45am to 5.15pm, as usual.
"We hope to maintain the level of service that is expected of us during this time, as contingency measures will be put into place where necessary, but some disruption to services may occur."
A statement from Chiltern said: "Our offices will be open and we expect to be able to deal with customer requests and provide services as normal.
"Information on all our services can be found on our website."
The union has been called following a 2.45 per cent pay off from the Government.
A spokeswoman for South Bucks District Council said Unison members were not taking action Councillor Frank Downes, cabinet member for resources at Buckinghamshire County Council, said: "Buckinghamshire County Council opted out of national pay negotiations a number of years ago.
"Our employees are not involved in the national strike ballot and therefore, we would not expect them to be participating in the industrial action.
"We are not expecting any disruption to the services we provide."
Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: "Striking is never an easy option and not something that we do lightly.
"We urge the employers to sit down with us and discuss a fair and equitable solution."
Your Say YourBucks
SBJones, Wycombe says...
9:24am Wed 16 Jul 08
DaveG, Wycombe says...
9:35am Wed 16 Jul 08
I used to think Unions were a good thing - protecting workers' rights and making sure they weren't mistreated. These days they just seem to be a sledgehammer method of getting wage increases.
not-dave, high wycombe says...
9:49am Wed 16 Jul 08
Local government staff have as much right to strike as the rest of us!
Me, Bucks says...
11:00am Wed 16 Jul 08
Me, Bucks says...
12:10pm Wed 16 Jul 08
Nukem!, HWY says...
12:17pm Wed 16 Jul 08
rob, wycombe says...
12:33pm Wed 16 Jul 08
David St, High Wycombe says...
12:57pm Wed 16 Jul 08
DaveG, Wycombe says...
12:58pm Wed 16 Jul 08
- flexible working hours
- final salary pension for only a 5% contribution (FINAL SALARY!!!)
- 27 days holiday plus bank hols (after 5 years service)
- 55% off sports centre membership
- subsidised health screening
- 33% off all Chiltern rail travel
- 50% off bus fares
- better maternity/paternity than most commercial sector
Try looking at what you have got instead of what you haven't. Throwing your toys out of the pram and going on strike purely for a wage increase is not fair and not moral.
nitpicker, high wycombe says...
3:14pm Wed 16 Jul 08
Lo_Wycombe, Bowerdean Rd says...
4:25pm Wed 16 Jul 08
OK, so maybe not 'free facilities' but what about the following?
- flexible working hours
- final salary pension for only a 5% contribution (FINAL SALARY!!!)
- 27 days holiday plus bank hols (after 5 years service)
- 55% off sports centre membership
- subsidised health screening
- 33% off all Chiltern rail travel
- 50% off bus fares
- better maternity/paternity than most commercial sector
Try looking at what you have got instead of what you haven't. Throwing your toys out of the pram and going on strike purely for a wage increase is not fair and not moral.
well done DaveG you have obviously done your homework, my girlfriends mum works for the council, i am always quoting the council gravy train to her, and now I can add your findings to back my arguement up...
not-dave, high wycombe says...
4:49pm Wed 16 Jul 08
DaveG wrote:- 55% sports centre membership is not true, there is no standard discount unless you are a corporate member for £240 per year, more expensive than John Lewis and many other companies.
OK, so maybe not 'free facilities' but what about the following? - flexible working hours - final salary pension for only a 5% contribution (FINAL SALARY!!!) - 27 days holiday plus bank hols (after 5 years service) - 55% off sports centre membership - subsidised health screening - 33% off all Chiltern rail travel - 50% off bus fares - better maternity/paternity than most commercial sector Try looking at what you have got instead of what you haven't. Throwing your toys out of the pram and going on strike purely for a wage increase is not fair and not moral.
-50% of bus fares is only if you pay by the year not on one off fares.
- maternity is the same as everywhere else, 1year at the most, and 9 months of that at half pay.
-pension at WDC is not at 6.7% meaning that take home pay is now less.
So please check your figures before spouting them as fact. You are clearly misleading people.
Steve, Totteridge Hill says...
9:22pm Wed 16 Jul 08
I for another have to wait for the market to be right to support a pay rise.
AND...The bank of England should raise interest rates to get this bloody recession over and done with! Oh how hard it is to buy a house with the rates at 6%...PAH! Try 17% when I bought my castle on the hill. Sure I've not got all the toys that the young want now but at the age of 40 I'd paid off my mortgage and now at 49 can enjoy my semi retirement...and I still don't need all the toys and 3 holidays a year.
Oh and while I'm on a rant, I'd like to see just ONE hard working council worker...the take him out on a real days work... Whimps!
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wayne, wycombe says...
9:12am Wed 16 Jul 08
I doubt it.