Funeral staff to strike for 24 hours over pay

Funerals are likely to be cancelled today as employees of Co-operative Funeralcare stage 24-hour strike action over pay.
About 750 members of the GMB and T&G unions working for the CWS Funeralcare Division in London, Scotland, Liverpool, Northampton, and several other branches, are taking 24-hour industrial action to try to improve a 3.5 per cent pay offer.
Workers are already on an overtime ban with no emergency call-outs.
GMB national secretary Phil Davies, said: “Last year, the CWS made a massive £360m profit, with nearly £18m profit made by the Funeralcare Division, who work very long hours, sometimes on emergency call over a 24-hour, seven-day period.
“They do difficult jobs – you could say they are a final emergency service. Their pay should reflect the care and commitment they put into their work.”