Workers to strike at Cardiff, Wrexham and Gwynedd councils

The action might mean household refuse is not collected

Council workers belonging to the Unite union will take strike action in Cardiff, Wrexham and Gwynedd next month in a pay dispute.

Unite members in Cardiff and Wrexham local authorities will strike for two weeks from 4 September to 17 September.

Members in Gwynedd will strike for one week between 11 and 17 September.

This has potential to affect a variety of services like refuse collection, street cleaning and community work.

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They will be among staff at 23 councils in Wales and England taking such action after what the union described as a "dismissive and patronising letter" from employers.

In the letter, the National Employers for Local Government Services said the pay offer for 2023-24, of £1,925 for those earning less than £49,950 and 3.88% for higher earners, was "full and final".

They also defended the offer as "fair in the circumstances" and said it "equates to an increase for the lowest paid of 9.42% this year; meaning their pay will have increased by £4,033 (22%) over the two years since April 2021".

'Workers forced onto the breadline'

But Unite said its members had "overwhelmingly" rejected the offer and it was "a poorer offer than last year, despite the cost-of-living crisis having worsened."

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said council workers were "on the frontline providing vital services to the communities they serve".

"It is simply unacceptable that workers have been forced onto the breadline due to years of real terms pay cuts."

Pay for council workers is set at a Wales, England and Northern Ireland level via the National Joint Council, a negotiating body made up of unions and local government employers.