St Mungo’s strike suspended as workers consider new pay offer

A four-week strike among Unite members working at homelessness charity St Mungo’s has been suspended as a new pay offer is considered.

However, Unite is recommending its members reject the offer, which it says “is well below the current rate of inflation”.

It added: “Unite reps recognise the proposal is nowhere near acceptable but at this stage decided to ballot on the offer to ensure a strong mandate for further action.”

The ballot closes on 5 May. The month of industrial action was due to begin this week on 24 April and finish on 21 May.

Unite members have suspended strike action at St Mungo’s which was due to begin this Monday (24 April).

Workers at St Mungo’s are being balloted on the charity’s new offer. https://t.co/wCLEDmlLL5
— Unite the union: join a union (@unitetheunion) April 23, 2023

The planned action had followed a ballot among more than 500 workers at the charity’s locations in London, Bristol, Brighton, Oxford, Bournemouth and Reading. The charity says its current workforce, including locums, is 1,700.

More than nine in ten of the union’s members had voted to strike amid the two-year pay dispute at the charity, which started in 2021 when a 1.75% pay increase was “imposed” on staff, according to the union.

In contrast the union’s research claims that the average CEO pay at the charity has risen by 77% since 2013. According to the charity’s latest accounts the CEO role at the charity as of the end of March 2022 was paid £189,418, including pension contributions, which is a 5% increase on the previous year.

St Mungo’s had said it cannot afford to meet Unite members’ pay demands, which include a 10% backdated salary increase.

A St Mungo's spokesperson said: "We are committed to resolving the dispute and are naturally disappointed that Unite is asking its members to reject our latest offer.

"Our financial situation has not changed and the current offer is stretching what St Mungo's can afford. However, we feel it is the right thing to do to resolve the dispute so we can all continue to support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

"The reality is a four-week strike would pose a serious risk to our clients' safety and wellbeing, despite our detailed preparation and contingency plans."