Thousands
of rail, nuclear, council and airport workers are set to take industrial action
over pay this week.
London
council workers will start the first of a fortnight of strikes today, as part
of a long-running dispute over London Weighting allowances.
The
Association of London Government has condemned the strikes, which are being
organised by the Unison union and include school support staff and workers at
centres for the homeless.
Ann
John, chair of the Employers’ Side of the Greater London Provincial Council,
said: "We have made it quite clear throughout the dispute that there is no
more money left in the pot to fund Unison’s demands.
"Meeting
this demand would mean putting £90 on the council tax, cutting services or
axing 11,000 jobs," she added. "These strikes will achieve nothing
except cause distress to the members of our society who need our help the
most."
The
RMT union has organised a one-day strike on Thursday on the Hammersmith and
City line of the London Underground in protest at a driver who was sacked after
being found playing squash while off sick.
Employees
at British Nuclear Fuels’ processing site at Sellafield in Cumbria are set to
walk out on Friday, over claims that the company has reneged on promises to
close the pay gap between industrial staff and office workers.
Meanwhile,
baggage handlers and check-in staff working for Swissport at Heathrow Airport
also plan to strike at the end of the week over pay.
