Surrey council workers back strike action over pay

Unison said the vote in Surrey for strike action was "unprecedented"

A vote by Surrey County Council staff in favour of potential strike action over pay is "unprecedented", a union leader has said.

In a ballot, 91% of union members employed by the council were in favour of strike action - unless they received an improved pay offer.

Unison's regional branch secretary Paul Couchman said the vote for action was "unprecedented" and he hoped the council would reconsider its offer.

A council spokesperson said it would be "inappropriate to comment" as pay talks with unions were ongoing.

According to Unison, council workers have been offered less than the National Joint Council pay award for the past two years and less than most neighbouring councils.

Last year, turnout for a full-strike ballot was 40 votes short of the threshold required for legal industrial action.

A pay settlement was imposed without agreement.

'More frustrated'

In a consultative ballot of union members that concluded on 1 March, 87% of members rejected a 4% average pay offer. The turnout was 53%.

Mr Couchman said if the council's pay offer was not "significantly improved" the union would "have no choice other than to go to a formal ballot for strike action."

"Our members are more frustrated and more angry than they have ever been," he said.

A spokesperson for Surrey County Council said: “We are still in talks with the trade unions regarding the 2024/25 pay offer.

"It would be inappropriate to comment while these discussions are still ongoing.”

Union representatives are due to meet next week.