Month long strike will hit parking restrictions in Hounslow

The toxic combination of stubborn employers, poor pay and the cost of living crisis forces workers to strike from Monday 6 February until 5 March.

Parking Enforcement Officers across Hounslow will step up strike action in their battle for fair pay.

Hounslow Borough Council stands isolated after Ealing and Brent councils boosted their workers’ pay following strike action. The workers are directly employed by Serco which manages the contract for the London borough. The giant outsourcing company’s latest profits were £303.9 million. Together Hounslow council and Serco need to reach an agreement with Unite.

Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: “Serco and Hounslow council’s refusal to address the scourge of low pay is shameful. So Unite’s members are fighting back with a month long strike.

“The truth is that the London Living Wage is not enough to live on. Serco is hugely wealthy. The Council and its outsourcer have the ability to pay workers more.

“The strike will inevitably mean that parking restrictions across the borough will fall apart. Bosses need to realise the workers have Unite’s total support.”

The civil enforcement officers and CCTV operators in Ealing got a 9% pay increase back dated to April 2022 or 11.94% for new starters on lower rates of pay. The workers will get a further 8% pay increase from April this year (2023). Workers also secured extra annual leave entitlement.

In Brent, workers will get a total pay rise of 10.7% backdated to April 2022 and a further 9% from April this year.

Workers in Hounslow have been offered nothing beyond the living wage.

Unite acting national officer, Clare Keogh said: “Unite is the recognised union for the parking attendants in Hounslow. This means they have a right to bargain for better pay. Standing still on poverty pay is not an option. Unite is standing firm.