Council housing staff strike over ‘hostile environment’

By Tara O’Connor, Local Democracy Reporter

Dozens of staff from Croydon council’s housing department are expected to strike this week amid a dispute over a “botched restructure”.

Members of the GMB union will walk out today and tomorrow, and say changes to the department will affect the service they can provide to residents.

The union said the council was considering removing 26 posts from the department, which is equivalent to 18 redundancies.

One member of staff, who has worked in the department for two years, said the situation has created a “hostile” working environment.

The employee, who asked not to be named, said: “I am striking primarily to support my colleagues who have been affected by the restructure, but also about the conditions we are expected to work under.

“It has created a hostile environment to work in and you’re unsure about your future in Croydon.

“But it goes further than that, it will affect the service we can actually provide for people in Croydon in conjunction with an increase in council tax and a lack of budget. Our conditions are being hampered and it will have a negative impact borough-wide.

“I hope the restructure will actually be scrapped and there will be more funds to support housing in Croydon.”

The union is calling on Croydon council to reconsider the restructure of the housing department and work with managers.

Rachael Baylis, organising assistant at GMB Southern, called it a “botched restructure” and said the changes would impact more than 100 members of staff who would see increased workloads, with many having to reapply for their jobs.

She said: “It means less staff, less resources and more risks to safeguarding. There is going to be increased workloads and pressure for staff and a major increase in risk for service users. It also puts the council at greater risk of legal claims.”

GMB members at the authority voted with a 94 per cent majority in favour of the strike.

A spokeswoman for Croydon council said: “We are transforming our housing service to provide the best and most efficient service for our residents, while also needing to make our council financially sustainable for the future.

“The housing restructure has been open to a full, considered staff consultation process. Since the consultation period closed, we have met Croydon GMB and colleagues to work through their concerns, so the regional decision for industrial action is disappointing.”

Pictured top: Bernard Weatherill House, Croydon council’s offices, in Fell Road (Picture: Tara O’Connor)