The prospect of strike action across Hanover Housing Association services has moved closer after GMB Scotland served the social housing provider with statutory notice for an industrial action ballot against an “insulting” 1 per cent pay offer for frontline workers.
After months of fruitless talks, union members have roundly rejected the real terms pay cut offer for staff like care support workers, cleaners, and domestic assistants, compared to a 4.5 per cent increase package for key management personnel in Hanover in 2020.
In a previous consultative ballot, 81 per cent of GMB members voted against the pay offer and 79 per cent in favour of moving to industrial action against the offer. The full industrial action ballot will run from Monday 28 June to Monday 12 July.
Hanover provide and manage a wide range of housing and services across Scotland, mainly for older people to help maintain their independence within the community.
GMB Scotland Organiser Ude Joe-Adigwe said: “The prospect of a real terms pay cut for many key workers earning little more than the living wage is insulting and made worse by the pay disparity between staff on the ground and management in Hanover.
“And it’s another case in point about the scale of the challenge for the fair work agenda – the backbone of Scotland’s frontline response to COVID-19 has largely been delivered on the backs of workers’ earning just over or under £10 an hour and Hanover is no different.
“This dispute goes to the very heart of the debate over proper value for key workers and the services they deliver, and employers like Hanover need to become part of the solution instead of a persistent low pay problem.
“If we want to build a recovery then it’s got to be better than this and Hanover need to listen to the workers’ voice if they want to avoid the real possibility of industrial action later this summer.”