Iain Dalton, Leeds Hyde Park and Headingley Socialist Party
From 14 April Unison members working as housing support workers at Leeds Federated Housing have been taking five days of strike action. As reported previously, the strike is over attacks on pay and the regrading of workers who are facing huge pay cuts whilst having their workloads doubled.
Management face no pay cuts and have recently increased rents by 5%. But this struggle doesn’t just affect housing support workers at Leeds Fed.
Housing support workers at other housing associations in Leeds are facing the same attacks as contracts with the council come up for renewal.
Touchstone workers took one day of strike action on Monday 11 April; their CEO is Labour councillor in Armley, Alison Lowe. The workers there have had a pitiful offer of a £500 bonus, nowhere near compensating for the loss in earnings they will face.
The other two housing associations where Leeds Unison organises, Foundation and Community Links, are also in the process of balloting for industrial action.
If, as appears to be the case at present, management still refuses to negotiate, then the action needs to be escalated. On the picket lines there has been a high level of support from other Leeds Federated workers for the strikers.
Leeds Unison should coordinate action between workers at different housing associations so they come out on the same day.
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