‘Completely untenable’ - South Tyneside Council calls on GMB to withdraw ‘misleading’ indefinite strike ballot

South Tyneside Council has called on the GMB to withdraw an indefinite strike ballot to its members based in the local authority’s Waste Department.

On Wednesday, June 5, the GMB stated that it was holding the ballot due to the Council suspending “10% of the workforce” - including the GMB workplace representative.

The Council has revealed that this ballot was shared with them on Monday, June 3, and has claimed that the ballot is “inaccurate and entirely misleading”.

South Tyneside Council has confirmed that a GMB workplace representative has been suspended, pending a HR investigation, with regard to serious health and safety concerns.

It has also reiterated that the suspension is “completely unconnected” with any union duties or activities that the member of staff has carried out.

Following the decision to ballot members, the local authority has slammed the GMB for using HR matters in relation to the industrial action issues.

A spokesperson for South Tyneside Council said: “The situation has become completely untenable, and our residents are suffering due to the actions of the GMB.

“It is totally inappropriate for confidential HR matters to be aired publicly in this way and furthermore be used as a pawn in industrial relations that affect the whole borough.

“The GMB appear to be asking the workforce to make a decision based on misleading information whilst knowing that the Council cannot comment in any detail.

“The Council must maintain confidentiality for those individuals involved and ensure the integrity of the Council HR processes and procedures, which are designed to protect the employment rights of the workforce, are protected.

“We know there are improvements to make within the service and we want to push on and do the right thing for our staff, for our residents and for the communities we serve.

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“This cannot be achieved whilst the service continues to be disrupted.”

The industrial dispute has been ongoing since September 2023 following claims of “bullying and a toxic work culture”.

An independent report into the claims was carried out - with South Tyneside Council confirming in March that the investigation found “no evidence of bullying or harassment”.

South Tyneside Council has stated that the findings of the report were not challenged and no appeal was pursued.

Strike action was suspended in early May, in an agreement between the Council and the GMB, to allow for the delivery of a detailed action plan.

This was in line with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which was approved and signed by both the Council and GMB.

Unless withdrawn, the GMB’s ballot for indefinite strike action is due to close on June 14 - with the union warning of strike action throughout the general election period.