Leisure staff strike over council ‘fire and rehire’ tactics
LEISURE centre staff in Sandwell went on strike again in the latest industrial action over what their union describes as ‘fire and re-hire tactics’.
Workers at Portway Lifestyle Centre and Tipton Leisure Centre, who are in Unison, voted overwhelmingly to continue their fight against their employer Sandwell Leisure Trust (SLT).
Three one-day strikes had already taken place this year in April, June and August, before this week’s industrial action.
Unison branch secretary for Sandwell, Tony Barnsley, claimed: “Staff are being fired and rehired against their will and they’re determined to continue their fight against this, particularly as the trust has £3.5 million in the bank.
“Despite making promises that there will be no further changes to the employees’ terms – other than pay – until March 2022, the management has told unions that it proposes to make any Covid-related absence count towards targets and triggers for sickness absence.
“Sandwell Council must intervene to avoid this unnecessary dispute running until the Commonwealth
Games begin in July 2022.”
Unison West Midlands regional secretary, Ravi Subramanian, said: “At a time when £73 million is being ploughed into the new aquatic centre being built in the borough, there can be no justification for workers’ terms and conditions to be cut.”
In March 2021, Sandwell Leisure Trust fired and rehired all 280 staff to remove them from the national NJC negotiating body for pay, terms and conditions. Staff were furloughed during the coronavirus lockdowns and received 80 per cent of their pay during this time. A Sandwell Leisure Trust spokesman said: “The pandemic has had a significant impact on the leisure industry and the recovery from this will take some time and is uncertain.
“As many businesses have needed to do, the Trust has taken prudent measures to manage increased costs with fixed pay awards for two years, no other changes to terms and conditions have been made. Unison has already lost its earlier mandate for strike action with the whole workforce and its latest ballot result now only affects two centres representing just 6.87% of the total workforce.
“All frontline staff have been returned from furlough and all facilities are back open which is something not all operators in the leisure industry have been able to do. New contracts have been issued and accepted by all staff, SLT is committed to protecting the jobs of its workforce both now and in the future by managing its increased costs to ensure its ongoing sustainability.”
A Sandwell Council spokesman said: “This is a matter for SLT to resolve with their employees.”