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Workers picket council offices
11:22am Wednesday 16th July 2008
UNION members bearing placards have formed picket lines outside council offices in High Wycombe today.
Workers at Wycombe District Council are challenging staff entering the offices in Queen Victoria Road.
The striking members are protesting over a 2.45 per cent pay increase.
Richard White, Unison branch secretary, said: "We have suffered below inflation pay rises for many years, now it's simply become too much. Our members are certainly feeling the pinch more than ever before."
Mr White, a town planner, said: "We are challenging people who work here and asking them to join us and are asking members of the public if they know what the strike is about and informing them about that.
"A number of people have stopped to speak to us to express their support."
Mr White said he believed around 100 out of 200 union members were striking, many from the council's housing department, - but that some claimed they could not afford to.
He added: "We know a lot of members have chosen not to strike simply because they cannot afford to lose two days pay.
"A lot of people have spoken to me very upset but at the end of the day they simply couldn't afford to do it.
"I have got a new baby and a wife on maternity leave on reduced pay - it's not easy."
Unison want to see a six per cent increase, he added.
A statement from Wycombe District Council 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."
Chiltern District Council is another local authority affected by the industrial action which is set to continue tomorrow.
* Richard White, of Unison, has pointed out that although the claim was for six per cent, this was a negotiating position and the reason for the strike is that the 2.45 per cent offer was unacceptable.
Your Say YourBucks
rob, wycombe says...
12:28pm Wed 16 Jul 08
Mike Smith, Bourne End says...
12:51pm Wed 16 Jul 08
Get back to work, it's your indolence that gives the Council a bad name.
Sack the lot of them, I wouldn't mind taking one of their jobs in an economic climate like this.
Lo_Wycombe, Bowerdean Rd says...
1:39pm Wed 16 Jul 08
Mike Smith wrote:I agree, everybody knows that a job at the council is a job for life, thee workers should either get off the gravy train or shut up...
SHAME ON YOU! Get back to work, it's your indolence that gives the Council a bad name. Sack the lot of them, I wouldn't mind taking one of their jobs in an economic climate like this.
llcherri, Wycombe says...
2:09pm Wed 16 Jul 08
slacker, Flackwell says...
2:47pm Wed 16 Jul 08
I have zero sympathy.
nitpicker, high wycombe says...
3:06pm Wed 16 Jul 08
George - Wycombe, says...
3:07pm Wed 16 Jul 08
For too long council staff have shirked their responsibilities, I think we should have a RATEPAYERS STRIKE, then their would be no money to pay these shirking workers.
Elmo, High Wycombe says...
3:49pm Wed 16 Jul 08
Lo_Wycombe, Bowerdean Rd says...
4:01pm Wed 16 Jul 08
RATEPAYERS STRIKE
here, here
not-dave, high wycombe says...
4:39pm Wed 16 Jul 08
Also the reason that Wycombe is a "DIRTY, FILTHY HOLE" is because the people that live there make it that way. The council spends thousands cleaning up after drunkards, litters, fly tippers and vandals who mess up out town. Its not their fault at all.
As for saying fire those who strike get real. It is a right as a worker in this coutry to be able to strike if you feel your working conditions/pay are inadequate.
p.s.
I would like to see you lot try a rate payers strike and end up with the bayliffs round.
slacker, Flackwell says...
5:01pm Wed 16 Jul 08
not-dave, high wycombe says...
5:10pm Wed 16 Jul 08
Lo_Wycombe, Bowerdean Rd says...
5:34pm Wed 16 Jul 08
p.s.
I would like to see you lot try a rate payers strike and end up with the bayliffs round.
not-dave, my girlfriend and I moved house, and at the same time transferred paying our council tax to direct debit monthly.
Due to council **** ups at the end of the financial year we owed £17.50.
We received no such letter informing us of our massive debt, (maybe the letter writing department were on strike?).
Three weeks later we receive a summons to court...
For £17.50.
Monkeys could do a better job; have you ever tried phoning or visiting the offices in person?
u-what, wycombe says...
6:08pm Wed 16 Jul 08
George - Wycombe, says...
7:11pm Wed 16 Jul 08
s, the street cleaning department sent an inspector around, a week later the council made more mess, a few weeks after that they made more, this has gone on for at least EIGHT YEARS, I have even written to the LEADER of WDC and she didn't reply, from top to bottom they are a shower, little wonder some garage lettings resulted in the tenants paying NO rent for over TEN YEARS, WDC are poorly run, many of the services ratepayers should expect are not forthcoming.
Where is the lorry that use to be used to sweep the streets?
The Bucks Free Press should start an EXPOSE YOUR COUNCIL campaign instead of sucking up to them as if they are immune to criticism.
Ivor, says...
7:38pm Wed 16 Jul 08
Its outrageous they could ask for more money when the townspeople are finding it hard to make ends meet paying the outrageously high Council Tax to fund the striking workers current wages.
If they dont like the pay then get another job!
Have you read Ivors blog today? Click on the Opinion link on the menu on the left then click on Readers Blogs.
davejones, Beaconsfield says...
8:43pm Wed 16 Jul 08
not-dave wrote:Actually no, if you're not a member of a union you have no right to strike.
You guys who are slagging off people who are brave enough to go against there own employer are all morons, you have no idea about the amount of work that goes on at the council, they are very hard working people just because they work for a local authority it does not mean that for some reason they shirk responsibility. Also the reason that Wycombe is a "DIRTY, FILTHY HOLE" is because the people that live there make it that way. The council spends thousands cleaning up after drunkards, litters, fly tippers and vandals who mess up out town. Its not their fault at all. As for saying fire those who strike get real. It is a right as a worker in this coutry to be able to strike if you feel your working conditions/pay are inadequate. p.s. I would like to see you lot try a rate payers strike and end up with the bayliffs round.
You do however have the right, if you feel you are underpaid or are unhappy with your working conditions, to find alternative employment. Clearly if this is not an option then your skills are not worth more then you're currently paid.
If any private sector employee wants a payrise they have to prove they are worth additional money, not that because of factors beyond their employers control the cost of living has increased.
I would wholeheartedly support the council if they would issue an ultimatium to the strikers that they either
A. accept the current offer
B. Prove they are worthy of an additional increase based on increased productivity, innovation that has saved expenditure or some other tangible performance measure
or
C. Seek employment elsewhere.
Also maybe they should consider the wider picture, any increase they get will be passed onto all council tax payers making things worse for everyone (themselves included).
Town-man, High Wycombe says...
9:17pm Wed 16 Jul 08
slacker, Flackwell says...
11:32pm Wed 16 Jul 08
Town-man wrote:Actually you can count me out of that. I am not a Tory, have never voted for them nor will I ever vote for them as long as I live.
Having read all the above. You can understand how Bucks is a right wing Tory area. It is our RIGHT as British people. To with-hold our labour, in protest against un-fair actions of our employers.
I do however believe it is not fair on anyone to strike and demand pay rises. I can understand in the case of working conditions, I can also understand in the case of the police who were promised back-pay and then it was taken away, but I cannot ever support striking for pay rises. Sorry if people do not like that but that is the way I feel. If they do not feel their job is paying enough then they should seek alternative employment in a place that will pay more.
Plus ça change..., %combe says...
11:35pm Wed 16 Jul 08
Our members are certainly feeling the pinch more than ever before.
davejones, Beaconsfield says...
12:15am Thu 17 Jul 08
Town-man wrote:please explain how a 6% pay rise regardless of performance is fair?
Having read all the above. You can understand how Bucks is a right wing Tory area. It is our RIGHT as British people. To with-hold our labour, in protest against un-fair actions of our employers.
please explain what exactly is unfair about a 2.45% pay rise, also regardless of performance?
please explain how the economy will be affected if all payrises for all employees public and private sector were linked directly to inflation?
Bucks may well be a right wing Tory area, but the country is still run by a left wing labour government, they are responsible for the current state of our economy.
If this was a case where people were not able to survive on their current wages or were forced to work a extreme hours or had unsafe working conditions, then i would fully support their right to protest, but we have laws in this country that prevent that from legally happening. I fail to see that you have a right to a nicer car, bigger house or more luxery items. If you want them the answers very simple, work for them.
R of Wycombe, High Wycombe says...
7:12am Thu 17 Jul 08
Just for the record, i got a 1.8% rise this year, and my wife didn't get a pay rise at all. We're both private sector employees
Steve, Totteridge Hill says...
8:52am Thu 17 Jul 08
Nukem!, HWY says...
9:21am Thu 17 Jul 08
"Day 2" - The WDC workers are on strike for the second day. Richard is still demanding 6% while most private sector workers were lucky to get anything above 2%.
Big Brother calls Richard into the Diary room ......... Richard tells Big Brother that he is very hard done by, as are his union members. He says that they are all on the breadline and cannot afford to get a 2.45% rise only. He also admits that he wants to increase the Council Tax further to fund a 6% rise and to carry on supporting their FINAL SALARY pension scheme. Big Brother is not amused as a council tax payer and sends Richard to face Eden's concrete walls for 30 minutes.
Its OK thinks Richard, I only have to face these tall walls for 30 minutes ....... unlike the residents around the Compair site who will have to put up with Bucks New University 7 storey tower block walls forever.
R of Wycombe, High Wycombe says...
5:46pm Thu 17 Jul 08
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llcherri, Wycombe says...
12:01pm Wed 16 Jul 08