Hundreds of housing maintenance staff to go on strike

Critical maintenance and repair services for more than 30,000 homes across the West Midlands could be impacted due to strike action.

200 of Citizen Housing’s gas engineers, electricians, construction workers and admin staff, who are members of the Unite union, will begin strike action over pay this month, over anger towards a 4% pay offer.

Unite the Union said that even with the offer, some workers will still only be on the national minimum wage despite Citizen seeing revenues of £192.6m and an operating surplus of £48.3m for 2023/24.

The workers will strike on 28 October and nine dates in November, impacting services across Birmingham, Coventry, Worcester and Hereford. Unite says industrial action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved.

Citizen said its pay increase is “in line with the wider housing sector” and is in addition to a review of pay, which saw 70% of its workforce secure pay rises. It says the pay deal would benefit 70% of staff with a 13% uplift.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Citizen Housing’s workforce are rightly angry that their pay is being kept artificially low despite the association’s huge surplus and sky-high executive wage packets.

“Unite never accepts attacks on our members’ jobs, pay and conditions and Citizen Housing workers have their union’s total support during these strikes.”

A spokesperson for Citizen said: “We are aware of the planned industrial action by Unite members in relation to the 2024 pay award.

“Citizen has offered a 4% pay increase across the organisation, in line with the wider housing sector. This is in addition to a comprehensive review of our pay framework, which saw more than 70% of our workforce receive pay increases averaging 9% this year. With a 4% annual pay award, 70% would benefit overall by an average 13% uplift to their pay.

“During the period of industrial action, our priority is to ensure that customers continue to receive services, and we are putting plans in place to minimise any disruption. Emergency repairs will be prioritised, and we are working closely with our contractors to manage routine maintenance where possible.

“As a responsible social housing provider, we have a regulatory duty to reinvest any operational surplus directly into maintaining and improving our homes and services and providing good quality homes.

“We understand the pressures facing our colleagues, we are proud to be a Real Living Wage employer and will continue to support them where we can.”

Unite regional officer Sharon Harding said: “The responsibility for the disruption caused to residents lies entirely at the door of Citizen Housing. It can easily afford to offer these workers a fair pay rise but is choosing not to.

“The dismissive and arrogant way Citizen Housing’s senior leadership is treating our membership is only making this dispute worse. There is still time to avoid strike action, but that will require an acceptable offer being put forward.”