St Helens and Warrington housing members win 3.1% pay rise

UNISON members kept up the pressure on Torus after rejecting the first 25 offer and balloting for industrial action.

UNISON members working for a north-west housing group have won a 3.1% pay rise after rejecting an earlier offer and balloting for industrial action.

Some 700 workers employed by Torus Housing in Warrington and St Helens will get the pay rise in their July pay packets, backdated to April.

Staff who work in a range of roles including administrators, customer service advisers, housing officers and maintenance staff voted to accept the latest offer after early voting to take industrial action over a 2% offer.

“This is a good outcome for all concerned and shows the value of staff standing together,” commented UNISON North West regional organiser Dan Smith after the consultation result was announced today.

“After years of falling living standards, this pay rise should come close to matching price rises. Staff only got 1.5% last year, and at long last the tide has now turned on pay.

“Torus is a cash-rich organisation and we will be putting a strong case for a significant real wage rise next year.

“Torus has set a new benchmark for the sector which we expect others to follow.  Housing associations are important organisations in our communities and they have a responsibility to be good employers.

“They should be paying all their staff – not just their top executives – decent pay rises each year.”

Torus was formed three years ago by the merger of two previous housing associations, Helena Partnership and Golden Gates Housing Trust.

It has an annual turnover of £102m and provides 22,000 homes for some 44,000 people, giving it assets of £412m.

The article St Helens and Warrington housing members win 3.1% pay rise first appeared on the UNISON National site.

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