Shelter pay dispute ends after staff accept “vastly improved” offer

A long running pay dispute at homelessness charity Shelter has ended after staff accepted “a vastly improved” offer from management, the union Unite has announced.

The fortnight of strike action by hundreds of the union’s members at the charity started in December but was later suspended amid further negotiations.

The revised offer of a 7% pay increase has been accepted. This is more than double the 3% previously offered to staff last year, said Unite.

Also, workers at the charity will receive a one-off payment of £1,250, which has also been accepted by members following a ballot.



“This was a significant result, our members were prepared to stand together in unity and by doing so were able to secure a greatly improved pay increase,” said Unite regional officer Peter Storey.

He added: “Unite has emerged from the dispute far stronger at Shelter and it is determined to ensure that members will continue to receive fair pay awards in the future.”

Shelter’s director of finance and strategy enablement Tim Gutteridge said: “We are pleased that, after reaching an agreement with the union, members of the union have voted to accept the pay offer, and the dispute has been resolved.”

The decision to suspend the strike had been taken last month by Unite as “an act of good faith” after the revised pay offer was made and presented to members.

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