Zarah ChoudharyCitizen Housing’s gas engineers, electricians, construction workers and admin staff will begin strike action this month in a dispute over pay.
The workers rejected a 4% pay offer from Citizen Housing, which the union noted had a turnover of £192.6m, and an operating surplus of £48.3m, for 2023/24.
Even with the 4% offer, Unite argued that some workers would still only be on the national minimum wage, and that in real terms they are currently paid below industry standards.
According to the financial statements of Citizen Housing for the year 2024, Citizen Housing’s chief executive Kevin Rodgers’ pay increased from £264,000 last year to £280,000 this year – above the average salary of £193,069 for UK housing association chiefs.
Chief financial officer Gary Booth also earns in excess of £200,000.
Sharon Graham, general secretary at Unite, said: “Citizen Housing’s workforce are rightly angry that their pay is being kept artificially low despite the association’s huge surplus and sky-high executive wage packets.
“Unite never accepts attacks on our members’ jobs, pay and conditions and Citizen Housing workers have their union’s total support during these strikes.”
The workers will strike on 10 days between 28th October and 29th November.
Critical maintenance and repair services for more than 30,000 homes in Birmingham, Coventry, Worcester and Hereford could be impacted.
This include residences in Birmingham’s Lee Bank and the Hillfields, Tile Hill, Spon End, Riley Square and Jadine Crescent areas of Coventry.
Sharon Harding, regional officer at Unite, said:“The responsibility for the disruption caused to residents lies entirely at the door of Citizen Housing. It can easily afford to offer these workers a fair pay rise but is choosing not to.
“The dismissive and arrogant way Citizen Housing’s senior leadership is treating our membership is only making this dispute worse.
“There is still time to avoid strike action, but that will require an acceptable offer being put forward.”
A spokesperson for Citizen Housing said: “We are aware of the planned industrial action by Unite members in relation to the 2024 pay award.
“Citizen has offered a 4% pay increase across the organisation, in line with the wider housing sector.
“This is in addition to a comprehensive review of our pay framework, which saw more than 70% of our workforce receive pay increases averaging 9% this year.
“With a 4% annual pay award, 70% would benefit overall by an average 13% uplift to their pay.
“During the period of industrial action, our priority is to ensure that customers continue to receive services, and we are putting plans in place to minimise any disruption.
“Emergency repairs will be prioritised, and we are working closely with our contractors to manage routine maintenance where possible.
“As a responsible social housing provider, we have a regulatory duty to reinvest any operational surplus directly into maintaining and improving our homes and services and providing good quality homes.
“We understand the pressures facing our colleagues, we are proud to be a Real Living Wage employer and will continue to support them where we can.”
