Shelter Scotland staff begin strike action in dispute over pay

Staff at housing and homelessness charity Shelter Scotland are taking strike action in a dispute over pay.

More than 600 Shelter workers across the UK will take action for two weeks, from Monday, December 5 until Friday, December 16.

Unite the union said that the organisation had “imposed” a 3% pay increase in 2022 on its members.

They claim that this has left staff “haunted by being made homeless”, as they described the offer as a real terms pay cut off 11% due to rising inflation.

Bosses at the charity have been accused by the union of having refused to enter into “meaningful” negotiations with representatives of Unite.

Shelter Scotland has been contacted by STV News for a response.

Offices of the charity affected by the strike include its London head office, as well as those in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Dundee, Edinburgh, Blackburn, Norwich, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Plymouth, Leeds and Sheffield.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said that members will receive “complete and unyielding” support from the union in their fight for a better deal.

“It is unforgivable that workers at Shelter find themselves actually being haunted by the prospect of being made homeless,” she said.

“Shelter has sufficient reserves to pay its hardworking and dedicated staff a decent pay rise but it has chosen not to.

“Our members at Shelter will receive Unite’s complete and unyielding support in their fight for a better deal.”

One member of Shelter’s staff said: “At the very base level, absolute bare minimum, those working for a housing charity shouldn’t be experiencing housing insecurity as a result of being unable to pay or rent.”

Another member of staff added: “I’m a single parent. I’m not in overdraft every month.

“I go round switching my lights off. I have turned my boiler down.

“I get stressed when the kids’ school wants me to pay for another school trip.

“The best acknowledgement my employer can give me for all my hard work is decent pay.”