Staff at one of the UK’s biggest housing and homeless charities are striking for two weeks as they struggle to afford rent and food.
Shelter Scotland members in Aberdeen have joined a national strike today after a pay cut has left them struggling to afford their own housing – while also trying to help others keep a roof over their heads.
Management at the charity imposed a 3% pay increase this year, which staff say works out in real terms as an 11% cut.
This has left members up and down the country struggling to afford the basic necessities.
Over 600 employees with the housing and homeless charity are striking over the next two weeks in the hopes of getting management back around the table.
‘The public are behind us’
Standing on Crown Street in Aberdeen today, the staff based in the city office were supported by union Unite as they took action.
Jacob Campbell, Unite the Union shop steward at Shelter Scotland, said the reaction from the public so far had been “generally supportive”.
As some shouted their support or honked their horns as they passed, he added: “Everybody knows Shelter is a good charity. It does some really, really amazing work.
“That’s down to its staff, it’s down to the people who make up this organisation, people recognise the value it has for society and generally they’ve been very, very supportive. They’re behind us.”
Talks with charity’s management collapsed last week after they refused to increase the pay offer for 2022 despite Unite believing they are able to financial offer fair pay.
Shelter staff are on the breadline
As the cost of living crisis deepens, many Shelter workers nationally are struggling to afford housing and are having to visit foodbanks.
Mr Campbell added: “Some of members have been struggling to pay their rent.
“People being unable to heat their homes, some members are scared that they might be made homeless which for a housing charity is obviously not a good thing.”
Shauna Wright, regional officer Unite the Union, said: “Sadly the members voted that they had to action this action when all else had failed.
“The team in Aberdeen is disappointed because they work for a charity because they care, because they want to help people but when they’re now finding themselves that they’re having to ask for help.
“That’s not acceptable. Everyone needs to be able to afford to pay their rent.
“They want to remain open, they want to be able to give the charity what it needs and the people coming to use their service, however they need to stand up for their rights as well, as they do for their service users.”
Tim Gutteridge, director of finance and strategy enablement at Shelter, said staff had been given a 3% pay increase and a further one-off payment of £1,500 this year.
Shelter will also be implementing the Real Living Wage Foundation’s increase of 10.1% from December.
He added: “Regrettably the cost of living crisis is impacting both our colleagues and operational costs, and we are doing everything we can to navigate these challenging economic times.
“Industrial action is not the outcome we wanted after months of talks with the union, but we fully respect people’s right to strike.
“Our ambition remains trying to support colleagues through this difficult period, while being able to deliver our frontline services and campaign work.”
Strike action will end on Friday, December 16. Shelter advised anyone seeking urgent support during this time to visit its website to access digital advice and information.
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