‘Reform spouts a lot of nonsense about being on the side of workers, but these figures show people aren’t buying it.’
The number of council workers joining unions has increased in areas where Reform took control on 1 May.
The GMB has reported that workers are “flocking” to join unions due to fears that Reform will attack their pay, jobs and conditions.
GMB has seen increases in union membership at Reform-led Durham, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire and Doncaster councils.
GMB national officer Rachel Harrison told the PA news agency: “Reform spouts a lot of nonsense about being on the side of workers, but these figures show people aren’t buying it.
“Workers in Reform-led councils are flocking to join unions because they know the first thing Farage and his cronies will do is attack low-paid staff’s terms and conditions.”
After taking control of 10 councils and minority control of a further two local authorities at the start of May, Nigel Farage warned people working from home, on climate change or diversity initiatives to start “seeking alternative careers very, very quickly”.
Last week, deputy leader Richard Tice announced that new employees at councils controlled by Reform UK will get less generous pensions, and called defined benefit pension schemes “an outrage”.
Tice also suggested existing staff in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) would receive smaller pay rises to offset their “generous” pensions.
Responding to the attacks on council workers’ pensions, Harrison said: “This announcement is cruel, performative nonsense that won’t work and won’t ever happen. Why would Reform target poorly paid workers like this?
“Council staff have suffered more than a decade of savage pay cuts – slashing their pensions is the worst form of bullying.”
Not only is Reform targeting council workers, but its MPs also voted against Labour’s Employment Rights Bill, which will ban zero-hour contracts, end the practice of fire and rehire, and ensure entitlement to sick pay from day one.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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