Tuesday 10 February 2004 - News - Health and safety
HSE staff balloted on industrial action
Health and safety inspectors
are to be balloted on industrial action over pay, including mass
"going to work days" in cramped offices, it was announced today.
Staff at the Health and Safety Executive will be asked if they want to back selective strikes, work to rules and turning up en masse at offices where there is insufficient room for workers.
Prospect, which represents the staff, is seeking a 2.6% increase in pay but complained it had only been offered a rise worth 0.5% for most experienced employees.
Prospect negotiator Richard Hardy said: "We hope this will illustrate that there is money available in HSE for idiotic projects and bureaucracy but not for a living wage increase.
"We have been in talks since May 2003 and management know our position. We have made it clear that our members are not prepared to make any further compromises when the deal they are being offered amounts to a pay cut over the next three years."
The result of the ballot among 1,700 HSE staff will be known next month.
Max Herd
Staff at the Health and Safety Executive will be asked if they want to back selective strikes, work to rules and turning up en masse at offices where there is insufficient room for workers.
Prospect, which represents the staff, is seeking a 2.6% increase in pay but complained it had only been offered a rise worth 0.5% for most experienced employees.
Prospect negotiator Richard Hardy said: "We hope this will illustrate that there is money available in HSE for idiotic projects and bureaucracy but not for a living wage increase.
"We have been in talks since May 2003 and management know our position. We have made it clear that our members are not prepared to make any further compromises when the deal they are being offered amounts to a pay cut over the next three years."
The result of the ballot among 1,700 HSE staff will be known next month.
Max Herd
