Roger Bannister, Liverpool Socialist Party
Workers on strike at Livv Housing in Knowsley, Merseyside, are determined to fight on. Members of Unison and Unite are involved in this dispute.
The CEO of this housing trust has a salary in excess of the prime minister’s, and Livv continues to report year-on-year surpluses amounting to millions of pounds, but she expects Livv employees to manage on a pay rise that takes no account of the drop in real earnings as a result of inflation.
In addition to low wage rates, Livv workers have a poor pension scheme compared to public sector schemes, poor sick pay, and a draconian sickness absence policy that leaves them afraid to go off sick. Contact centre workers are expected to work evenings and weekends with no enhancements for the unsocial hours, call-out rates have not been increased for 15 years, and annual increments have been abolished.
Against this background, few people will be surprised that these workers have resorted to strike action!
The unions have planned a programme of strike action throughout January, and are drawing up plans to escalate the action in February if necessary. They plan to lobby Labour-run Knowsley Council on 15 and 22 January. Liverpool Trades Council carried a motion supporting the strikers. They have received support from local MPs, including Ian Byrne who has had the Labour whip removed for voting against the abolition of the pensioners’ winter fuel allowance.
Livv tenants complain about the poor repair work undertaken by strike-breakers employed by Livv, and respond favourably to campaigners gathering names on a petition in support of the strikers.
