Maintenance workers are continuing with strike action against private contractor Mears in Manchester.

More than 170 employees are entering into the 14th day of industrial action against the contractor and joint venture company Manchester Working. Workers are on a rolling programme of strikes, with walkouts occurring on Monday, Thursday and Friday.

The dispute centres around longstanding problems of pay differentials at the organisations, which results in workers being paid up to £3,500 less than colleagues who undertake the same work. In addition, employees disagree with Mears' attempts to introduce a new contract which increases hours, introduces flexible working and requires the greater use of technology.

Further plans to introduce a 'productivity procedure' has been branded as a 'sackers charter' by Unite, with additional pressure being put on the workforce to accept poorer conditions regarding sick pay and vehicle policies.

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A demonstration was held outside the offices of Northward Housing Association (HA), the organisation who they are contracted to undertake work for, earlier today, 23 June.

Unite said the HA has been called on to intervene in the dispute, however it has refused to get involved and indicated 'it is not their problem'.

Andy Fisher, Unite's regional co-ordinating officer, said: "It is scandalous that even after 14 days of strike action Northward continues to pretend the strikes are not happening and the dispute has nothing to do with them.

"Northward's failure to intervene and demand a resolution means that its tenants are suffering unnecessarily. Urgent repairs are being delayed and there is a growing backlog of refurbishment work, which will only increase as the dispute continues.

"This demonstration is just the beginning of Unite stepping up its campaign to place further pressure on Mears and to ensure that no one regionally, industrially or nationally can have any doubt of the appalling way this company treats it workforce.

"If Mears had any sense of moral decency it would be keen to enter into negotiations to resolve this injustice once and for all. Currently the silence from the company is deafening."

(LM/MH)