Local Government - Islington moves north west
WORKERS, NOV 2005 ISSUE
The London Borough of Islington is opening a 'one stop' housing benefits call centre in Manchester. This means Islington council saves the payment of London weighting allowance on its wages bill, avoids the ignominy of having a call centre in the Far East – and also gets away from stroppy local trade unionists.
Unfortunately the Manchester Chamber of Trade is in uproar over the wage rate, which is at least £2,000 higher than local call centre pay.
So a wage cutting exercise from London has resulted in a wage parity battle in Manchester. Unfortunately for the employer, the same stroppy trade union, Unison, organises in both Islington and Manchester!