Dear colleagues
Yesterday, our electronic ballot of Unite members closed. The ballot was on the question of whether to accept a one-off cost of living payment to settle the pay dispute.
The vote was 10.4% to accept, and 89.6% to reject.
I think this is the right decision. A one-off payment is not enough to enable workers to deal with the increase in the cost of living, unless you expect prices to go down again next year. Don’t hold your breath – the latest figures show inflation is the highest it’s been since 1981.
In the near future, Unite members at Shelter will be voting on whether to accept the new offer they have received from their bosses. More info here:
Shelter is, in some ways, a similar organisation to St Mungo’s. It has many dedicated employees. It has a management that talk the right talk, but are too fond of awarding themselves unhealthily high salaries.
Like us, Shelter workers were told that funds were not available to increase wages in line with inflation, even though the accounts published by Companies House tell a different story. Like us, they struggled to survive financially from the real terms pay cuts that management had imposed on them. Like us, they negotiated with bosses in good faith, but without success.
Then they went on strike and the money that bosses had been unable to find appeared on the negotiating table. The Shelter strike has now been suspended to allow for a vote on the new offer.
In a better world, we would not have to stop performing our duties for their value to be appreciated. But that’s often the way it is.
Across the economy, workers are facing real-terms pay cuts while a small minority help themselves to more than they are entitled to. We need to be clear with our senior management: if you value the work that we do, you must value the people who do it. That means their approach must change.
Your Unite reps will remain available over the holiday period to support you with any issues which may arise in the workplace. You can contact us using the email address unionreps@mungos.org.
I wish you and your family a joyous festive season and a very happy 2023.
With very best wishes,
Jacob
Jacob Sanders
Unite Convenor, St Mungo’s
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