St Mungo’s strike: Why are workers on the homelessness charity strolling out?
They can be protesting outdoors workplaces in London, Brighton, Bristol, and Oxford, over a pay supply of simply 2.25 per cent.
Workers beforehand held a month-long strike that ended on Monday, June 26. At the time, Unite basic secretary Sharon Graham stated: “Charity workers who should be on the streets helping the homeless have reached breaking point.
“The workers are now taking a stand.”
Altogether, 500 workers from Unite, Mungo’s union, voted to increase the preliminary one-month strike earlier this month.
Why are St Mungo’s workers placing?
Bosses on the homeless charity, which has a base in Brighton, have been known as “callous” by Unite. The walkout is going down over the “indifference” of administration to the “corporatisation of the charity sector”, in addition to the low price of pay. The Unite Union stated that, after tax and deductions, frontline employees take dwelling lower than £20,000 a 12 months.
The charity’s chief govt, Emma Haddad, described the news as “unexpected” however stated they’re nonetheless working to discover a compromise.
“We are in the middle of discussions aimed at finding a solution and had a constructive meeting with Unite representatives on 12 June,” she stated.
“Bringing an end to this unprecedented period of industrial action remains our key priority, so we can all focus on working together to support people at risk of, or recovering from, homelessness.”
In a statement posted by Unite workers, employees additionally accused administration of a “shocking” dereliction of responsibility in the direction of the homeless and the charity’s personal workers.
Sharon Graham stated: “The charity’s staff do not take indefinite strike action lightly but they face a desperate situation — they need St Mungo’s to listen and act.
“The indifference of the management to their own staff smacks of the corporatisation of the charity sector. It’s Corporate Britain plc arriving in the charity sector. St Mungo’s have executives on well over £100,000 a year and the same people insist their workers should exist on poverty wages with actual wage cuts.”
St Mungo’s says it has already applied a pay rise worth 1.75% to staff’s salaries in the 2021/22 financial year, but that Unite has asked for a backdated and consolidated rise of 10%.
The charity said it could not meet the union’s demands and remain “financially viable as an organisation”.
Unite balloted more than 500 workers across southern England, including in London, Bristol, Brighton, Oxford, Bournemouth, and Reading, and the union has grown to 800 members since the dispute began.
Unite regional officer Steve O’Donnell said: “St Mungo’s workers are sending a clear message to the Board. Management has lost control. Their failure to take heed of the strength of feeling amongst staff is the reason for this indefinite strike.
“It’s time to save St Mungo’s reputation and enter into genuine constructive negotiations to end this dispute.”
How lengthy might the strike final?
Unite has a mandate for strike motion till September 30.
St Mungo’s has been contacted for remark.