Amey staff call off week-long strike action

Highways maintenance staff who work for Amey in area 8 have called off six planned days of consecutive strike action after securing an improved two year pay deal.

Unite members working for Amey at four depots in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire backed an improved pay offer from management after the first day of a week-long strike.

Staff had staged a number of 24-hour strikes last month and began what would have been a week-long walkout yesterday – Monday 2 March. That action has now been called off.

The accepted offer is a 2.25% increase in pay, backdated to 1 April 2014 and a further 1.75% increase in pay as of 1 April 2015.

Richard Gates, Unite regional officer, said: “The solidarity and determination of Unite members throughout this lengthy dispute meant we were successful in negotiating a two-year pay settlement that is acceptable to the majority of our members.

“Thanks to the strong position we took and the arguments the union put forward Amey realised that workers have been hit hard in recent years over pay.”

The four depots involved were Breakspear at Hemel Hempstead, Whittlesford in Cambridgeshire, Sandy depot in Bedfordshire and Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire.