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Southampton Itchen Bridge toll workers start strike Southampton Itchen Bridge toll workers start strike
(about 2 hours later)
About 20 toll collectors working on Southampton's Itchen Bridge have started a week-long strike in a dispute over pay cuts. Toll collectors on Southampton's Itchen Bridge have started a week-long strike, the latest by council workers in a dispute over pay cuts.
It follows industrial action by the city council's parking wardens and binmen, who are protesting over a reduction in wages of up to 5.5%. It follows a walkout by the city council's parking wardens and binmen, who are protesting over a reduction in wages of up to 5.5%.
Conservative-led Southampton City Council said the cuts would protect 400 jobs and help make £25m of budget cuts.Conservative-led Southampton City Council said the cuts would protect 400 jobs and help make £25m of budget cuts.
Hospital cleaners have also announced a week-long strike from Monday. In a separate strike, hospital cleaners will strike for a week from Monday.
The Itchen Bridge remains open and managers will work there during peak times, although motorcycles are not being charged. The Itchen Bridge remains open and managers will work there during peak times although motorcycles are not being charged.
'Fair settlement' Binmen will begin another five-day strike on Wednesday, which will be followed by a seven-day walkout of about 60 street cleaners from Monday.
Binmen will start another week-long strike from Monday, with rubbish already piling up in parts of the city after collections were affected by a bank holiday in between times. About 2,600 members of public sector unions Unite and Unison are undertaking action short of a strike, including a ban on overtime and working to rule
Mike Tucker, from Unison, said industrial action would escalate until there was a "fair settlement". 'Understand frustration'
"The council can end the dispute now by withdrawing its dismissal notices and putting forward new, fair proposals to meet the council's financial problems." The council is due to meet with Acas, the government's arbitration service, next Thursday.
In February it finalised £25m budget cuts and said all workers earning more than £17,500, which is 65% of staff, would have their pay cut by reducing working hours.
The council employs about 6,600 staff.
Andy Straker, regional organiser for public sector union, Unison, said while public reaction to the strike had been good he understood the frustration residents had as rubbish began to pile up.
"I don't think we would be looking at meetings involving Acas unless this strike had been taken," he said.
"The binmen themselves, they live in Southampton and their bins aren't going to be empted either.
"We understand it's causing problems but from the reaction we have received from the picket line, people understand why the strike is important.
"It's not a strike for more pay, it's to stay on the same pay everyone else gets, the right money for the job."
In separate action, the unions claim Southampton General Hospital management had failed to pay cleaners agreed NHS rates, even though they received funding to do so by central government for the last five years.In separate action, the unions claim Southampton General Hospital management had failed to pay cleaners agreed NHS rates, even though they received funding to do so by central government for the last five years.
The hospital trust said that was not true.The hospital trust said that was not true.