GMB call on H&F council to tell Idverde to pay grounds workers what they are owed

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GMB call on Hammersmith and Fulham council to intervene and tell Idverde to pay grounds workers what they are owed

GMB, the union for grounds maintenance workers, are calling on Hammersmith & Fulham Council to intervene and tell idverde, the private company who operate the grounds maintenance contract on behalf of the council to pay their employees what they are owed.

Idverde, who took over the grounds maintenance contract under a share sale arrangement from the previous contractor Quadron in 2016, are stalling on paying employees who transferred from the London borough of Hammersmith & Fulham their pay increase from 1st April.

Our members have been patient in the hope that idverde do the right thing and implement and pay them the 1% increase that they are entitled to receive under the terms of the contract.

In May, the company advised that if staff raised a grievance this would not speed up the payment in staff wages in May, and suggested that dialogue is maintained until the company respond with a time scale to make the payments.(see notes to editors for copy of email from Andrea Gomm, idverde HR director)

Keith Williams, GMB Senior Organiser said:  
 
“Idverde are digging a hole for themselves, it’s been a long hot summer, however, we are now coming close to the end of July and it won’t be long until the Autumn Season is upon us. How many more months can it take for a company to respond with a timescale and do the right thing and pay employees what they are owed.
 
“What are idverde doing, counting the days and time with a sundial?

“If the council as the client don’t sort this out, GMB will have no alternative but to bring legal proceedings against the councils contractor to recover monies that our members are entitled to.”

ENDS
 
Contact: Keith Williams on 07710 631339
 
Notes to editors:
 
1) Andrea Gomm, idverde HR director email, 11 May 2017:
 
'We are currently working through the various pay awards that need to be made, where there are NJC agreements in place currently we will be honouring them and payments will be back dated to April 2017. However these will not be processed for May as we have not processed them yet, our reasoning for this is we wanted to understand our full business position before processing.
 
“I understand you may wish to raise a collective grievance but unfortunately this will not expedite the payment for May and therefore see little reason for doing so. I completely understand your position but rather than raise a grievance I suggest we maintain dialogue and I will come back to you as soon as I can on a timescale for payments”