Senior members of
Brighton & Hove Green Party have issued statements in response to
the GMB's stated intention for their members in cityclean to go on
strike for a week starting this Friday 14th June.
Leader of the council and convenor of the Green administration, Jason Kitcat, said:
"I am disappointed by the GMB decision to begin industrial action this Friday. I understand the strong feelings involved and am committed to ensuring there is a negotiated solution to resolving the difficult historical equal pay issues for the council's pay and allowances. The council's negotiating team is engaging openly and regularly with both recognised trade unions.
"During the forthcoming strike week, which starts on Friday, the environmental health of the city and its residents is clearly essential and council officers will continue to meet their public health legal obligations but this administration will not sanction the use of agency or contract workers to do the regular work of legitimately striking council staff whilst those staff are out on strike.
"Accordingly, I am able to announce that all agency workers currently engaged in refuse collection and street cleaning will be withdrawn from service by 10pm on Thursday night, the day before the strike is due to begin, and agency workers will not be deployed in these areas during the strike week.
"The Council continues to invite both recognised unions to negotiating meetings. That offer is being made daily. I urge the GMB to return to the table."
Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said:
"I know from my postbag that residents in the city are worried about health issues and also about the fair and proper treatment of striking cityclean workers, so I welcome Jason's announcement. This is good news and I hope that now the position on this has been made clear, GMB negotiators will be prepared to return to negotiations before Friday."
On behalf of Brighton & Hove Green Party, chair Rob Shepherd said:
"It is with a heavy heart that I realise industrial action is imminent. But the Greens in Brighton & Hove have been saying all along that agency staff will not be used for strike breaking during next week's strike and Jason has confirmed this unambiguously. With this said, and with the agency workers being withdrawn well before the strike begins, I join Caroline and Jason in encouraging the GMB negotiators back to the table before Friday."
In response the GMB issued this statement:
Leader of the council and convenor of the Green administration, Jason Kitcat, said:
"I am disappointed by the GMB decision to begin industrial action this Friday. I understand the strong feelings involved and am committed to ensuring there is a negotiated solution to resolving the difficult historical equal pay issues for the council's pay and allowances. The council's negotiating team is engaging openly and regularly with both recognised trade unions.
"During the forthcoming strike week, which starts on Friday, the environmental health of the city and its residents is clearly essential and council officers will continue to meet their public health legal obligations but this administration will not sanction the use of agency or contract workers to do the regular work of legitimately striking council staff whilst those staff are out on strike.
"Accordingly, I am able to announce that all agency workers currently engaged in refuse collection and street cleaning will be withdrawn from service by 10pm on Thursday night, the day before the strike is due to begin, and agency workers will not be deployed in these areas during the strike week.
"The Council continues to invite both recognised unions to negotiating meetings. That offer is being made daily. I urge the GMB to return to the table."
Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said:
"I know from my postbag that residents in the city are worried about health issues and also about the fair and proper treatment of striking cityclean workers, so I welcome Jason's announcement. This is good news and I hope that now the position on this has been made clear, GMB negotiators will be prepared to return to negotiations before Friday."
On behalf of Brighton & Hove Green Party, chair Rob Shepherd said:
"It is with a heavy heart that I realise industrial action is imminent. But the Greens in Brighton & Hove have been saying all along that agency staff will not be used for strike breaking during next week's strike and Jason has confirmed this unambiguously. With this said, and with the agency workers being withdrawn well before the strike begins, I join Caroline and Jason in encouraging the GMB negotiators back to the table before Friday."
In response the GMB issued this statement:
GMB has welcomed a commitment from the
leader of Brighton Council that no agency or contractors will be used
during any period of industrial action. The commitment was made in an
e-mail from Council leader Jason Kitcat who said:
“This administration will not sanction
the use of agency or contract workers to do the regular work of
legitimately striking Council staff whilst those staff are out on
strike. Accordingly, I am able to announce that all agency workers
currently engaged in refuse collection and street cleaning will be
withdrawn from service by 10pm on Thursday night, the day before the
strike is due to begin, and agency workers will not be deployed in these
areas during the strike week.”
As a result of this commitment GMB has
confirmed that it will engage in negotiations with the Council to see if
a way forward can be found.
Mark Turner, GMB Branch Secretary said:
“This is a small first step for the
Council on the way to resolving this dispute. As a result GMB has
confirmed that it is willing to attend talks to listen to what the
Council have to say.
I will however say that there will need
to be substantial movement in their position for industrial action to be
averted. Whilst our members do not take strike action lightly, they
cannot be expected to accept these reductions to their take home pay. I
would like to thank those Councillors in the administration who have
supported our members and brought about this decision.”
