STRIKE action will go ahead as planned next week, with more than 1,000 Hillingdon Council workers walking out over a wage dispute.
All but essential services - such as care for the elderly and disabled - will be suspended for 48 hours on Thursday and Friday, July 16-17, in the nationally co-ordinated industrial action.
Council workers will be demonstrating on picket lines at the Civic Centre in High Street, Uxbridge, and the Waste and Environmental Services Central Depot in Harlington Road, Hillingdon. Hillingdon Social Services has been pinpointed as another possible protest location, with others to be identified later this week.
The strike follows the Government's offer of a 2.45 per cent pay rise, which was rebuffed by Unison, the union for local authorities. Workers are hoping for a six per cent wage increase.
Stuart Barber, regional officer for Unison in West London, said: "We have got roughly about 1,000 members who have voted for this action, and we are calling on all members to adhere to the 48-hour strike. It's not about unruly picket lines - instead, it's about trying to make a point and hoping that local Tory councillors see sense."
But Mr Barber added that if the action should prove fruitless, the union would urge workers to return to the picket lines. "Obviously we hope the dispute will be resolved after the twoday protest, but no movement would guarantee more strikes."
Christopher Neale, director of finance and resources for Hillingdon Council, said: "Hillingdon Council has been given formal notification of industrial action and has been contingency planning since the end of June for the two days of strike action, on 16 and 17 July.
"We hope to be able to provide more details to the public of the expected impact on services as early as possible before the strike action to minimise any disruption to services."
