Traffic wardens in Kensington and Chelsea begin ballot on strike action
GMB members at NSL Ltd, who are contracted to provide Kensington & Chelsea’s parking enforcement operation, began voting yesterday on whether they will take strike action.
Aware that other workers doing exactly the same job and employed by NSL Ltd in other London boroughs have received higher pay awards in the last year, GMB members in RBKC asked for a substantial pay increase and a one-off payment to help cover the increase in living cost over the last year. But after months of pay negotiations between the employer and GMB, NSL Ltd’s final offer of £12.17 per hour was rejected by GMB members.
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) has made an average of £20 million in revenue per year over the last few years from parking enforcement. This is the second-highest revenue from parking received by any council in the country. The council stands to face a loss in revenue of up to £50,000 for every day of strike action.
John Weir, GMB London Region Organiser for Kensington & Chelsea, said:
“RBKC and NSL Ltd need to get together and make a serious offer to our members if they are to avoid strike action.
“The traffic wardens who walk Kensington and Chelsea’s mansion-lined streets don’t just provide a fortune in parking revenue for RBKC, they do an important job in making sure there isn’t chaos on the streets.
“There is no question that both RBKC and NSL Ltd have the resources to pay our members here a decent wage. The only question they need to ask is whether they are willing to let strike action go ahead and impact residents and local businesses or take the needs of their staff seriously?”
The result of the strike action ballot will be known by 5th May 2023.
For more information or interview please contact John Weir on 078 1354 2046
