Shropshire Council workers still set for walk out
Wednesday 21st September 2011, 7:00PM BST.
Thousands of Shropshire Council workers are still set to stage a walk out tomorrow despite last minute talks to try and avert a strike.
But bosses at the authority and Shropshire Unison today said that for the first time positive discussions had taken place between the parties following two hours of negotiations this afternoon.
Shropshire branch secretary for Unison, Alan James, said that although it had come too late to prevent tomorrow’s strike, he was hopeful a resolution could be reached in the future.
The council plans to impose a 5.4 per cent pay cut and introduce new terms and conditions for staff. Bosses say they need to find £76 million of savings.
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A days strike is equivalent to .385% saving of their annual salary, staff are paid for 5 days x 52 weeks = 260 salaried days.
As soon as they are out for 7 days, the council will have covered the 2.7% reduction in operating costs.
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So these Council employees are strikeing because they may get a pay cut. They should be thankful they have a job, and be thankful that they are keeping their jobs, some of us would love to be employed and cannot find work at any wage. I am an long time unemployed person who does not get any benefits if they do not want to work I am happy to come and do it for them.
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They staff should be thankful they have jobs, there are plenty of us out there who have had worse paycuts than 5.4%!!! One company I know off issued a 20% cut and all staff worked a 4 day week!!
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Off you go then…byeee
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Will anyone notice any difference if they do walk out for a day?
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Given that they deal with thousands of public enquiries everyday, and run most of our public services, I imagine it will affect people.
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I suspect that those in charge of the purse strings will when they realise that they’ve saved the lions share of half a percent on the annual wages bill.
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This is a sad state of affairs some council workers work with a cross section of the community and some are very needy, this area has never been good wage wise so as some take pay freezes which is a cut as the cost of living rises is bad enough, don’t forget when the banks make the money off us all they pay share holders dividends now the government bailled them out when they were in trouble but if we get in trouble they repossess,and when you pay your gas bill sleep well at night knowing that someone somewhere will benefit by owning shares people before profit surely should be the mantra not im alright sod you jack attitude that is in society today.
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Surely it should be “try to”, not “try and”, particularly if the talks failed?
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Hey A,
you would notice big time if either of your parents were being cared for by a carer.
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The previous comments were obviously written by people who are not affected by this crude and ill advised plan. You’ll have your time soon enough, this recession will hit most of us at some point. I hope you get more support and sympathy if anything should happen to you than you have afforded the unfortunate people of Shropshire Council.
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oh no! who will water the plants on heathgates island ?
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I went past today and they have got diggers working on the island.
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Seems to me the people who are going to be affected are the vulnerable.
leisure centres shut for a day, so what.
Libraries shut for a day, who cares.
Shirehall shut for a day, not a problem.
But for the unions to cynically hold a gun to the councils head, by targeting care homes and carer facilities is wrong.
Most of us who are working all day will not notice a thing.
Also. Why do council employees all look the same? from studying the pictures on the 2 threads, they all seem to be a certain ‘type’ of person frequenting the council offices.
millie-tants rather than militants.
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I think you will find that care staff in homes are not able to strike and i for one support them as this council is trying to ruin this town and parts of shropshire as the big men are in ludlow and oswestry we in shrewsbury will be at the thin end of the wedge.
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public sector workers, less strikes and more grease to your elbows please
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