Striking workers rally at pay talks

Unison wants London Weighting raised to £4,000

Council workers staging a series of strikes in a long-running dispute over pay are held a rally to put pressure on employers to reach a settlement.

The London workers are taking selective industrial action over the next few weeks as part of their demand for the London weighting allowance to be raised to £4,000-a-year.

The rally was held at the Association of London Government HQ in Southwark, south London, as officials from Unison met with council leaders to try to break the deadlock.

Geoff Martin, London convenor of Unison, said the union had no intention of ending the campaign and he warned that council staff could link up with other groups of workers such as postmen and women, to bring the dispute to a head.

"There is a perverse and unholy alliance between New Labour councillors and right-wing Tories which is blocking a settlement to this dispute," he said.

Employers complained that the industrial action was hitting vital services including refuse collection.

"Hitting services such as homelessness, benefit claims, housing and social services show a callous disregard for some of the most needy people in our communities," said Councillor Ann John, chairwoman of the Employers' Side of the Greater London Provincial Council which negotiates pay for staff in the London Boroughs.

A series of strikes was held last year as part of the union's campaign to increase the allowance, which currently stands at £2,800 for inner London and £1,500 for outer London.