As we enter the second day of strike action, the first day seems to have gone well with massive disruption if media coverage and local reports from our members is anything to go by. My local council was completely closed to the public. I work in Blackpool as a homelessness prevention officer and we had a fair share of members and non-members not coming into work. We are holding a rally outside the town hall tomorrow at 11am and hopefully this will attract members from other local councils.
One of the real salient reasons for me as well as my own financial situation is that of my members and the fact that I am aware of members having to access my service as a service user because of the risk of homelessness as they cannot afford to keep up with their rising mortgage payments, heating costs, food bills and inflation. How can we be positively public when we are worried about how we are surviving on a day to day basis.
And the other thing, most local government employees also pay council tax so already contribute at least £1000 towards their own salaries a year. I know obviously some of it goes on services they receive in the district they live, but they are contibuting to the service they and their colleagues deliver!
With the reserves that the employers have got and the average councillors allowances increasing by 15%, 2.45% is not enough. We need to sustain this action for as long as possible.
Watch here
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