The T&G trade union has claimed that London Borough of
Havering councillors have awarded themselves more than 200 per cent pay rises,
while insisting on an annual increase of only 3 per cent for staff.
The union reports that the allowances, which the
Conservative Cabinet has approved, include a 200 per cent increase to £51,000
for council leader Eric Munday and a 280 per cent increase for members, from
£7,250 to £27,900.
A union’s ballot announcement later today is expected to
support industrial action over the annual pay rise to start later this month.
Trade unions are demanding double the 3 per cent offered.
Paul Fawcett, the regional industrial organiser for the
T&G union, criticised the size of the council allowance increase.
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He said: "There is a very strong suspicion that the
leader of the council and the cabinet kept all of this very quiet while our
members were voting on whether or not to take strike action over the 3 per cent
pay offer to staff."
