HTS workers storm the Harlow Council offices as they demonstrate in town centre
General / Thu 27th Apr 2023 at 02:54pm
HTS workers marched though the Harlow Council offices as they demonstrated through the town centre today (Thursday).
The march began and ended at the market square but not before the demonstrators made a detour into the council offices in the Water Gardens.
We say “storm” but it was more a civil protest in the reception area as opposed to a re-enactment of the storming of the Winter Palace.
Earlier this week, HTS and Harlow Council issued the following joint statement:
“Negotiations brokered by ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) are ongoing between HTS and Unite to try and reach an agreement. There will be a further meeting between HTS, Unite and ACAS taking place next week. The council is closely following the discussions and is in daily contact with HTS about the situation. The staff are directly employed by HTS who set their terms and conditions, so this is why it’s appropriate that HTS lead the negotiations.
“The HTS workforce do a fantastic job and provide a range of important environmental and housing maintenance services for the town, and we are working to find a solution to the issues raised.
“Plans are already in place to continue running essential services during the industrial action and we regret the inevitable disruption this will cause residents. HTS will continue to communicate with residents whose appointments will be affected. We apologise to residents for any disruption they experience.”
Updates on service provision will be published and communicated to residents on the day of the strikes.
The reasons for the strike are detailed in news item below.
Chris
2023-04-27 16:48:44
We hardly get value for money from this lot at the moment. By paying them more is just reinforcing failure at a cost to the tax payer.
Michael Szpakowski
2023-04-27 17:22:35
They are chanting ‘Harlow Council shame on you - pay your workers what they’re due’ and they are entirely right to do so. I hope they win everything they are demanding. These are some of the essential workers we applauded during the pandemic but now Harlow’s Tory council, friends, like all Tories, only of the rich and privileged, treat them with utter contempt. One of these workers is worth a hundred Tory councillors. Victory to them!
Trevor Ian Whitaker
2023-04-27 17:48:53
Nothing to do with the tax payer rude and spiteful comment ,you fail to understand the issue of our grading system in which my skills and hard work are ignored when workers are forced to use food banks and not bring able to be payed for skills we obtained at college ,they abandoned the grading system where extra skills like tree felling spraying and extra other skills were payed in the past ,so forcing us into.action ,look at the reason we're striking which has been caused by a total lack of respect for our hard work in ,is it any wonder workers have maybe at times not performed the task as it destroys both confidence and work effort ,far as iam concerned and my friends at work we still try our best with what we've got to.perform for harlow, maybe if residents tried using the bins provided for litter and didn't throw there dog poo into bushes and disposed of there junk better harlow would be a safer cleaner environment where workers and public could have a better relationship we do work hard and try to do the job unde staffed at most times caused by the very reason we are marching .
Daniel Bayford
2023-04-27 18:28:01
You lot wouldn't know a hard days work if it hit you in the face even the original council workers done more work than hts and that is saying something you don't deserve the pay you get know let alone a pay rise
David Forman
2023-04-27 21:37:41
Mr Bayford should realise that many of the original council workforce were outsourced to Kier and later brought back in-house to a Harlow Council owned HTS. Many of the workers are 50+ years of age and a good number started from school. So doing the maths that is 30+ years. Many people say how good the town was many years ago, due to a service provided by many of the same people you now see working for HTS. The difference is now is that countless budget cuts, staff cuts and productivity improvements have created a cash cow for Harlow Council with a demoralised workforce that can barely afford to pay their bills.
N. Gunning
2023-04-28 08:56:38
The disinformation from Harlow council will be sprayed around. They conned 'taxpayers' into believing that they'd frozen the council tax, hence they can't afford a pay rise, no doubt. But they are the junior partner of tory Essex County Council who have put the taxes up by the maximum. They've also increased rents, for the less well off council tenants, who have no equity to fall back on for their bills by up to 8%! The usual ducking of responsibility mixed with a basic lie. And HTS are the council workers who were sold off to the private sector- which failed to deliver. The enormous potholes and dim street lighting, closed public toilets and half time libraries are their legacy. During the fuel crisis they advised people to go to libraries to get warm- if they can find one open! As for loos, if you use the pub they expect you to buy a drink - what about Muslims and some Christians who don't use pubs? As for asking local shopkeepers, many of their are staff only and often used for storing stock and equipment: I know, I've asked! Maybe regeneration of other parties might offer something better for people and workers. But then, they've introduced Voter Identity cards to deter young voters- a tactic used by Donald Trump, for which need there's no evidence at all!!!
Andy kewin
2023-04-28 13:12:45
They're getting paid on their performance, say no more!!!!!
David morton
2023-04-28 13:14:21
Daniel Bayford, couldn't agree with you more Dan, not fit for purpose.
Andy kewin
2023-04-28 13:17:42
Took a day off work to have a job carried out, despite industrial action was told by call centre there was still guys working, guess what??? Never turned up and no phone call, only found out when I rang them, sack the lot of them, more like a retirement home than a functioning company.
Andy kewin
2023-04-28 14:17:36
The slogan is harlow council shame on you, pay your workers what they're due, performance pay is what your due which is nor much, hts absolute circus with performing monkeys!! Quite often your repairs needs repairing!! Cowboys.
Tom Compton
2023-04-28 22:11:09
Let’s not forget the biggest loser during this day of industrial action by HTS : Greggs at Bush Fair, where a large number of HTS vehicles are customarily parked. It is understood that sales of tea, doughnuts and sausage rolls plummeted. Ot is imagined that Greggs will hope that normal HTS service will be resumed in the near future.
Malcolm Wallace
2023-04-29 09:40:17
Why should workers be paying for a crisis not of their making? The money is there but it is going to the wrong budgets. We need a total rethink of our national, regional and local priorities.
David morton
2023-04-29 15:49:57
I took a day off work, un-paid may I add, I was told Thursday that there was industrial action but still guys out working and my job would still be done, waited in and a no show, rang and was told they wouldn't be coming, sack the lot of em, not fit for purpose, shame they don't show the same interest at work that they do in Greggs at bush fair!!!!
Tom Compton
2023-04-29 18:38:27
David Morton, is right. If you want to see anyone from HTS, your best chance is at Greggs at Bush Fair!
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