Living standards ‘cut to the bone’

Workers employed by both Mears and Mitie undertaking housing maintenance work for Crawley council are gearing up for industrial action after nearly a decade of pay cuts, which has seen their earnings fall by 28 per cent in real terms.

Since the two companies took over the housing maintenance contracts in 2010 the workers have seen a huge drop in real terms earnings. Workers on the Mears contract received a one per cent increase in 2015 and a further one per cent in 2018. Those on the Mitie contract received a one per cent increase in 2012 and a further 1.5 per cent in 2017. Since the two companies have managed the contracts, inflation has increased by 30 per cent.

Unite will be staging a protest  about the huge real terms cuts in pay outside the Crawley council offices tomorrow (March 19) from 2pm outside the Crawley council offices.

Unite only secured recognition on the two contracts last year (2018). This year is the first opportunity Unite has had to table a pay claim and is seeking a 3.7 per cent increase; however both companies have refused to enter into negotiations.

As a result Unite has undertaken a consultative ballot for industrial action, which has been strongly backed by the workforce and is now making arrangements for a full industrial action ballot. There are 25 workers on the Mears contract and 65 on the Mitie contract.

Unite is also campaigning for Mears and Mitie to introduce sick pay for their workforce. Currently the workers are being ‘discriminated’ against as they are the only section of the council who do not receive sick pay.

Most of the workforce earn in the region of ÂŁ27,000-ÂŁ28,000, far below the rates that construction workers can secure in the private sector.

“Our members’ standard of living has been cut to the bone by the meanness of Mitie and Mears and workers are simply just not going to accept this any longer,” said Unite regional officer Malcolm Bonnett.

“Mitie and Mears need to come to the table and enter into proper negotiations to agree a pay rise for this year and agree a roadmap to boost our members’ standard of living in the coming years.

“The workers at Mitie and Mears are high skilled and undertake vital work in maintaining Crawley’s council housing. If pay rates are not addressed they will vote with their feet and leave, resulting in increased costs and delays in repairs.”