Elect Building and Maintenance Ltd and Orca call centre providing strike breaking services
 
Long running Knowsley pay strikes by hundreds of Livv Housing workers has intensified, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today.
 
The escalation comes as contractors brought in by Livv Housing in an attempt to undermine the industrial action were named and shamed.
 
Prescot-based Elect Building and Maintenance as well as Wrexham-based Orca customer contract services are providing services to Livv Housing despite being aware of the strikes. Demonstrations will take place outside of the companies’ headquarters over their attempts to undermine the strikes.
 
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Livv Housing is happy to throw money away on strike breaking services provided by Elect and Orca but somehow doesn’t have enough to give its staff a fair pay rise.
 
“This isn’t about affordability for Livv’s bosses – it’s about union-busting. Well, it won’t work – the dispute will continue to escalate until Livv addresses the years of real terms pay cuts its workers have suffered.”
 
The dispute stems from years of below-inflation pay increases. The workers have rejected a five per cent pay rise as it fails to reverse the real-terms pay cuts they have endured previously.
 
Livv Housing, which manages properties primarily in Knowsley, reported reserves of £110.6 million in March 2024. 
 
Unite’s members will take fresh strike action from 17 March to 30 March. Tenant services to more than 13,000 homes will be affected. Additional strikes will be called if the dispute is not resolved. Unite’s members recently voted to extend their industrial action mandates, meaning strikes could extend well into the summer. 
 
Unite regional officer John Sheppard said: “Livv Housing has millions in the bank and can more than afford to give its workers a fair pay rise. Attempts to undermine the strike action won’t work. The only way strikes will end is if Livv puts forward an acceptable offer.”
 
James Robinson, branch secretary of Knowsley UNISON, said: “These workers have suffered year after year of pay cuts and their standards of living have been decimated. To see their employer wasting so much money on strike breaking services instead of giving them the pay they deserve is sickening.

“The staff will remain on strike until they win. Livv bosses should get round the table now and prevent themselves wasting any more money that could go to their workers or their tenants.”
 
ENDS
 
For media enquires ONLY contact senior Unite communications officer Ryan Fletcher on 07849 090215 or 020 3371 2065.

Email: ryan.fletcher@unitetheunion.org

Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest union with members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.