Helen Pattison, London Socialist Party
Striking workers at St Mungo’s homelessness charity have voted to accept an offer after 13 weeks of continuous strike.
They managed to secure an increase which Unite the Union says works out at 10.74% based on the median wage at the charity or £3,125 in cash terms, which includes a £700 lump sum and the national NJC award now being negotiated. Workers have also won agreements to curtail further increases in management pay, and extra holiday for staff.
They should return to work with their heads held high and on a good basis to continue to build the union. The strike has aided a new generation of trade union activists in learning how to build and maintain a strike across small projects and against a difficult management.
No doubt many workers, particularly in the charity sector, will be emboldened by their fight and victory.
