Tuesday 4 February 2025
For immediate release
UNISON general secretary to visit Knowsley picket line tomorrow (Wednesday), says UNISON
UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea is to visit a picket line on Merseyside tomorrow (Wednesday) to show support for hundreds of low-waged workers at Knowsley-based Livv Housing who are striking over pay.
The long-running dispute stems from years of below-inflation pay increases, says UNISON. The union says bosses must make an offer that goes someway to addressing a real-terms pay cut of 30% since 2011.
Individual teams who work in repairs, maintenance and the housing association’s call centre also took strike action in October, November and January.
This latest strike, which began on Monday (3 February) and runs until the end of the month, is the longest yet, with staff walking out across the entire organisation. More than 13,000 homes will be affected across Merseyside.
Livv Housing, which manages properties primarily in Knowsley, reported reserves of £110.6m in March 2024. The two unions involved in the dispute, UNISON and Unite, want managers at Livv Housing to get around the table and find a way to end the long-running dispute.
UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “No one wants to go on strike. All the Livv Housing employees want is to be paid a decent wage. They’d much rather be doing their jobs helping the housing association’s tenants with their day-to-day issues, but senior managers are refusing to make a pay offer to end the dispute.
“The hope is that the month-long strike will prove the catalyst to get talks underway and end the dispute that no one wants.”