Unite the union is in the process of balloting its members at Cardiff council for a new wave of strike action.
If members vote in favour of industrial action, then walkouts are likely to begin after Christmas.
Unite members are coming to the end of their current 11 weeks of strike action over poverty pay rates, which has seen huge disruption to council services, including rubbish piling up across the city.
Throughout the current dispute the council’s leadership has abjectly failed to engage with Unite to seek a resolution to the dispute.
Unite will now be seeking a new mandate from its members for strike action in relation to a number of local issues which the council has failed to address.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Cardiff Council have completely failed to negotiate a resolution to the current dispute. Our members are angrier than ever.
Unite is now balloting on a range of local issues with more strike action and disruption to council services likely.
“Unite support for our members at Cardiff council is unwavering and the workers will continue to receive the union’s complete support.”
Unite is seeking a new mandate from its members for industrial action in relation to a number of local issues which the council has failed to address. These include:
- Failure to deal with endemic bullying by managers and supervisors.
- A failure to compensate workers for the cost-of-living crisis
- The failure to implement council policies consistently.
- An increase in spinal pay points in line with the real living wage increase and maintain differentials.
- The failure to offer direct employment for agency workers.
- A failure to deal with grievances in an acceptable and timely manner.
Peter Hughes, Unite Wales regional secretary said; “Huw Thomas, Cardiff council’s leader, has done nothing to resolve this dispute, while the rubbish has piled up he’s been in hiding.
He must change his approach and use the coming weeks to work with Unite and deal with the local issues we have raised with him. He can’t hide anymore, he has the power to resolve these issues. If he fails to do so fresh strikes are on their way”.
