2600 members of UNISON and UNITE unions who work for Southampton City Council say they’ll start indefinite industrial action on Monday, May 23.

All members will be taking “action short of strike action”, such as refusing to use private cars for council work, banning overtime working, not working for unpaid hours and not covering vacant posts.

In addition to the “action short of strike”, union members will strike for extended periods.

Refuse collectors will be the first to go on strike, while others will join the strike later.

When these sections return to work, different groups of union members will be called out on strike.

Unions say the action is the latest stage in their campaign against wage cuts being enforced by the Conservative controlled city council, and that in April, the council issued dismissal notices to all city council workers in order to enforce pay cuts of up to 15%.

The trade unions want to take the dispute to ACAS, the government’s arbitration service, to intervene and organise talks between the two sides.

UNISON Branch Secretary Mike Tucker commented: “The industrial action will demonstrate that the council only functions because council workers work unpaid overtime, carry out duties they are not paid for and cover for jobs that have been cut.  The selective strike action will mean key sections of the council will be on strike for extended periods.  It is council workers who keep the city running, not councillors.  The industrial action we hope will bring the Conservative controlled council back to the negotiating table.  Only a negotiated settlement can avoid a summer of strikes and disruption.”