Staff at the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) are to take strike action in a dispute over pay.

Union Unite said its members will begin taking three days of industrial action from Tuesday, 10 July until Thursday, 12 July.

According to Unite, HCA staff have suffered years of pay freezes and below inflation pay increases, due to the government's austerity measures. Despite these pay freezes, several high-paid senior appointments have been made, widening the gap between the highest and lowest paid staff at the agency, while concerns have been raised over failures to tackle the gender pay gap.


Unite said despite its attempts to resolve the situation, HCA management have refused to put anything on the table which goes beyond the government's guidance of a 1% - 1.5% pay award, instead offering a pay review which will take two years to report.

Unite regional officer, Adam Lambert, said: "Unite members are taking strike action as an absolute last resort as management has refused to listen to our concerns and has failed to enter into meaningful negotiations.

"After a decade of falling living standards a proposal for a pay review is far too little too late. Our members will not accept further real terms pay cuts.

"Nor are they prepared to wait another two years before the HCA even begins to start tackling the gender pay gap.

"It is essential that the HCA's management understands the strength of feeling among staff, returns to the negotiating table as quickly as possible and puts forward a realistic pay offer."

(LM)