Cemetery maintenance staff working in Rotherham including gravediggers have voted unanimously to reject a pay offer, UNISON says today (Thursday).
It means the workers will go ahead with nine days of strike action during October and November, which were initially put on hold while the offer was being considered.
Walkouts will take place on Friday 20, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 October, Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 October, Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 November, and Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 November.
The staff are employed by private contractor Glendale Grounds Maintenance, which delivers the crematoria service for Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC).
UNISON believes the workers have lost out significantly financially since being transferred out of direct council employment over a decade ago.
UNISON says the wage offer put forward by Glendale has been because the basic rate being offered is still well below that paid to directly-employed council staff. The offer would see workers paid 59p an hour less than their council-employed counterparts, which adds up to more than £1,100 per year.
UNISON wants Glendale workers to be paid £11.10 an hour (which is 20p more than the real living wage) and for this to be backdated to 1 April this year, as well as a commitment for wages to remain 20p above the real living wage when it is revised in April 2024.
Employees are also unhappy about Glendale’s failure to increase the stand-by rate paid to staff who work weekends and bank holidays.
UNISON Yorkshire and Humberside regional organiser Dan Wood said: “Staff have made their feelings perfectly clear on the offer put forward by Glendale.
“Not a single person voted to accept the offer. This shows how strongly workers feel.
“They do a hugely important job, and deserve to be paid fairly.
“Staff don’t want to go on strike. It’s now up to Glendale to come up with an acceptable offer so the dispute can be resolved.”
UNISON Rotherham branch secretary Ruth Askwith said: “Workers have made it clear they won’t be treated less favourably than their council-employed counterparts.
“Glendale staff do really important work, ensuring people’s loved ones are laid to rest in a dignified manner.
“They care deeply about the work they do. They just want to be paid fairly for it.”
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