Citizens Advice workers in Hull take first strike action

Union members in Hull are taking 24-hour strike action over a number of days

More than 60 Hull and East Riding Citizens Advice workers have gone on strike for the first time in a dispute over pay.

Unite the union said Citizens Advice (CA) had refused to implement a national pay deal after years of "real terms pay cuts".

But a spokesperson for the charity said it had put forward "an affordable pay offer" amid financial constraints.

Regional officer at the union Harriet Eisner said staff were "fed up".

Ms Eisner said workers had "suffered a real terms pay cut over the last 10 years of 27%".

"We all know that Citizens Advice are there for some of the most vulnerable people in society, helping and supporting people who are in desperate situations," she said.

"Now they themselves are saying 'we've had enough, our pay isn't keeping up at all, we're way behind' and they're asking for a decent pay rise."

CA workers voted to take part in a series of 24-hour strikes after the charity refused to increase pay in line with National Joint Council (NJC) scales operated by local authorities, as has been the norm for the last 20 years, the union said.

The NJC has recommended a consolidated payment of £1,925 for all grades.

The strike will affect the Citizens Advice unit at the Wilson Centre in Hull city centre

A spokesperson for Citizens Advice Hull and East Riding said: "Every day we see the huge strain the cost-of-living crisis is putting on people [and] we know our staff who provide a vital service supporting our communities are not immune from this.

"We have put forward what we believe to be an affordable pay offer within the financial constraints we're working under.

"We acknowledge this is difficult for everyone. We will continue to engage with the union, and we hope an outcome everyone is happy with can be reached swiftly."

Staff are due to take further action on 7, 9 and 11 August.