Parking wardens across Wandsworth are set for a six-day strike in dispute over low pay later this month

Wandsworth parking wardens will be going on a six-day strike later this month in dispute over low pay.

This comes after trade union GMB says that they believe staff members are at least £5 per hour underpaid.

Members of the union will be taking industrial action on June 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29.

The NSL Parking Service employees have previously had to resort to strike action in 2018 because the council, whilst under Conservative control, had been offering below-inflation pay rises to all outsourced workers within the borough.

Paul Grafton, GMB regional organiser, said: “Now that the Tories have been ousted from Wandsworth, we will be calling on the Labour leader to bring these important and valuable services back under local authority control.

“GMB believes these staff members are at least £5 per hour underpaid, have a less favourable pension and hardly any sick pay compared to council workers.

“The council earns many tens of millions per year in parking charges, so perhaps they might want to think about reinvesting some of that money in the people who earn it for them.”

A Wandsworth Council spokesperson said: “Parking attendants are employed through an operator and the Council has ensured that their current pay level meets the London Living Wage, in line with other local authorities.

“Despite a number of offers having been made these have all been rejected without any attempt to compromise, and action is being threatened which will have a negative impact on our residents and businesses who rely on parking enforcement in their local area.”

A spokesperson for NSL said: “Civil Enforcement Officers currently receive the London Living Wage in line with the previous pay agreement with the GMB.

“We are disappointed that despite a number of offers having been made in line with inflation, these have all been rejected and that the GMB have not compromised in their demand for a 58 per cent pay increase.

“NSL continue to negotiate regarding future pay and we remain hopeful that we can reach an agreement”