· News

Strike threats escalate across both public and private sector

Harrods staff have become the latest group of workers to consider strike action.

According to Unite, 235 Harrods employees, including maintenance staff, have begun voting on industrial action over a pay offer of 3.5%.

The employees are disgruntled because non-unionised shop-floor staff have been awarded two extra holidays while the maintenance workers have not.

In addition, Eurostar cleaners, who work for contractor OCS, are set to strike on 25 August in a bid to increase their current wage of £6.37 to the London Living Wage of £7.45.

As the number of strikes escalates, Andy Cook, managing director of specialist employment consultancy Marshall-James, said: "I don't think the number of strikes shows any sign of ending over the next few years. Trade union membership is dropping and the unions are flexing their muscles to justify their existence."

This comes only days after Swissport staff at Gatwick and Stansted airports voted to take industrial action in a dispute over a 3% pay deal when they are calling for 5%. And Tube Lines maintenance staff are threatening to cause delays on the London Underground with a strike over a pay deal of 4.95%.

Cook added: "What we are seeing is the result of employers not being able to give pay rises above inflation. The unions are seeing that below-inflation pay rises might as well be a wage decrease for members as their disposable income would suffer because of inflation.

"Public-sector employers have to comply with government pay scales," he added, "but there are rumblings of unrest in the private sector and outside highly unionised industries as well."

see editors blog.