The union Unite has launched a scathing attack on the management of homelessness charity St Mungo’s after its members voted almost unanimously to strike.
More than nine in ten (93%) of the union’s members at the charity have voted to begin a month-long strike from 24 April amid a two year pay dispute.
The union has blamed “astonishing management indifference” for the dispute which goes back to 2021 when, what it calls a “disgraceful” 1.75% pay increase, was “imposed” on staff.
Since then, the Union says that workers have been offered a £700 payment. This is despite the charity having reserves of £14.8m as of the end of March 2022, an increase of £1.1m on the previous year, according to latest accounts via the charity register, added the union.
The four-week strike is due to end on 21 May and follows a ballot among more than 500 workers at the charity’s locations in London, Bristol, Brighton, Oxford, Bournemouth and Reading.
According to the charity register St Mungo’s had 1,550 staff last year and was supported by 1,297 volunteers. The charity says that its current workforce, including locums, is 1,700.
Unite says that charity’s chief executives pay has increased markedly over the last decade, while “workers at the homeless charity are struggling to pay the rent”.
Its research of the charity’s accounts claims that the average pay of CEOs at the charity since 2013 has risen by 77%.
In contrast it warned that considering inflation workers’ pay has fallen by 25%, with a frontline worker earning around £26,000, according to Unite. The charity says that the starting salary for a project worker in central London is £28,426.
According to the charity’s latest accounts the CEO role at the charity as of the end of March 2022 was paid £189,418, including pension contributions, which is a 5% increase on the previous year.
St Mungo’s workers are dedicated to helping the homeless but they can’t afford to pay their own rent.
— Sharon Graham (@UniteSharon) April 6, 2023
Our members are ready for a sustained campaign of action and they have Unite’s full support. https://t.co/1TEPaZD5OJ
“St Mungo’s workers are dedicated to helping the homeless, but they can’t afford to pay their own rent,” said Unite general secretary Sharon Graham.
“The workers are at the end of their tether. It’s astonishing management indifference that’s driven them to strike action.
“Our members are ready for a sustained campaign of action and they have Unite’s full support. The workers know the charity can afford to give workers a fair pay deal and Unite is firmly on their side.”
Unite regional officer Steve O’Donnell added: “It’s time the charity did the right thing and paid frontline workers properly. Our members are ready for the long haul - it’s time St Mungo’s bosses woke up to that fact.”
St Mungo’s has said that it cannot afford to meet Unite members’ pay demands, including 10% backdated salary increase.
A spokesperson for the charity added: “We are disappointed by the result of the ballot, but we do, of course, respect the decision of Unite members to take industrial action over the nationally agreed pay settlement for 2021/22. St Mungo’s remains committed to continuing to work with Unite and doing all we can to avoid strike action.
“A strike would naturally cause disruption to our services, but we have detailed contingency plans in place which will be implemented as needed.
“Our focus is on ensuring that we will be able to continue to run our vital services as safely as possible during any industrial action, and on the wellbeing of our clients and colleagues during this unsettling time.”
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