Unite Press Release
Over 600 workers at the housing and homeless charity Shelter
begin an unprecedented fortnight of strike action today (Monday 5
December) in a bitter dispute over pay.
Shelter’s management has imposed a three per cent pay increase,
in 2022 which has left many of its own staff being unable to pay
their rent leaving them haunted by being made homeless.
The imposed pay deal is a huge real terms pay cut of 11 per
cent with the true inflation rate (RPI) now standing at 14.2
per cent.
The dispute has become increasingly bitter as the charity’s
management has refused to enter into meaningful negotiations with
representatives of Unite over this year’s pay deal and has
instead sought to impose one-off payments and real terms pay cuts
for the next 16 months.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It is
unforgivable that workers at Shelter find themselves actually
being haunted by the prospect of being made homeless. Shelter has
sufficient reserves to pay its hardworking and dedicated staff a
decent par rise but it has chosen not
to.
“Our members at Shelter will receive Unite’s complete and
unyielding support in their fight for a better deal.”
The strike action begins today (Monday 5 December) and will end
on Friday 16th December.
Peace talks collapsed at the conciliation service Acas on
Thursday (1 December). At the talks, management refused to
increase the pay offer for 2022, instead proposing a pay increase
of four per cent for 2023/24 with no further pay increase for
staff until April 2024, which amounted to a further substantial
pay cut of at least 10 per cent for its staff.
The total pay cut Shelter’s over two years amounts to 21 per
cent. With inflation still rising, the real terms pay cut
will go higher over the next 16 months when the next pay review
is due in April 2024.
When Unite’s reps presented testimonies of their colleagues who
are worried about being evicted or are unable to keep their house
warm with a newborn baby and have mounting debt, management
withdrew its offer.
Unite believes that Shelter is fully able to make a fair pay
offer. Its reserves last year stood at around £14.5 million,
substantially higher than its target reserves of £8.9 million.
Commenting on the decision to go on strike, one member of
Shelter’s staff said: “At the very base level, absolute
bare minimum, those working for a housing charity shouldn't be
experiencing housing insecurity as a result of being unable to
pay rent.”
Another added: “I'm a single parent. I'm now in
overdraft every month. I go around
switching my lights off. I have turned my
boiler down. I get stressed when the
kids’ school wants me to pay for another
school trip. The best acknowledgement my employer can give me for
all my hard work is decent pay.”
Unite regional officer Peter Storey said: “Unite’s
members at Shelter are entirely dedicated to their roles and are
taking strike action as an absolute last
resort. “This dispute has been caused
by the heartless, hypocritical attitude of Shelter’s management
who have refused to enter into proper negotiations. Shelter needs
to take an urgent reality check and return to the negotiating
table with an offer that meets our members’
expectations.” Shelter’s offices affected
by the strike action include its head office in Old
Street, London, and offices in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Dundee,
Edinburgh, Blackburn, Norwich, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham,
Bournemouth, Plymouth, Leeds, and Sheffield.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Shelter workers announce two
weeks of strike action in pay dispute
