A reader was extremely surprised to see a group of GMB pickets holding placards and waving flags in George Lane, Marlborough earlier today. They sent us the dashcam pic above which clearly identifies the strikers as being Traffic Wardens.
“There were quite a few of them” our reader explained, adding: “More than you’d ever normally see in Marlborough”. Initially they thought that they were either railway workers or nurses, but there isn’t a railway anywhere near to Marlborough and the nurses on strike today were from the Royal College of Nursing, and they pointed out that none of the strikers looked like nurses.
Marlborough.news attempted to contact the GMB to find out why GMB Traffic Wardens were out on strike in Marlborough, and picketing George Lane at the Pedestrian Crossing. Unfortunately no-one was there to answer any questions.
Whilst Traffic Wardens are undoubtedly suffering from the same cost of living crisis problems as many others, be they nurses, railway workers, or from one of the many public services currently in dispute regarding wages and conditions, the number present and their location did raise questions – why that many, and why there?
The GMB website does state that following talks with their employers, Wiltshire Council ‘the strike action has been suspended’ and it will be business as usual for Traffic Wardens as from tomorrow.
“A pity” commented our reader, who – if they had seen the pickets earlier, stated that they might not have purchased a ticket in the George Lane car park. But inevitably, if they had, they would have found a Penalty Charge notice on their windscreen, delivered by other means, or by someone else not on strike.
The dispute appears to centre on changes to working conditions and hours, which could, according to the GMB website result in ‘some workers losing up to 20 per cent of their wages’. Maybe it isn’t over quite yet as Keith Roberts, GMB Regional Organiser states on their website “We still have a live mandate for strike action, and we will not hesitate to call further action if the council does not stand by these commitments.”
But, why congregate by the Pedestrian Crossing in George Lane in Marlborough? However, if talks break down, maybe they will be back there again.
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