By Andy Ford, Unite rep
Unite members at Livv Housing on Merseyside have won a famous victory after 8 months of industrial action.
Livv originated as the spun off direct works department of Knowsley Council and most of their work involves maintaining thousands of social houses in Knowsley and nearby boroughs. The workers had faced years of below-inflation pay rises, in the name of ‘efficiency’, whilst having to watch senior management enriching themselves off the public sector. The CEO, Leann Hearne, has had her pay increased by 25% since 2021 to £253,000 a year plus pension contributions, with a company car thrown in. Rents for Knowsley tenants were also increased, by 10.4% over the last two years.
Finally, the workforce had had enough and got organised, the staff in Unison, and the construction workers in Unite, and strike ballots were held. As the joint union bulletin stated:
“This is about more than just pay…Livv have failed to listen to our members in relation to pay progression…our pensions at Livv are poor and [access to] the Local Government Pension Scheme has long been ended! Members are scared to be sick! Reduced sick pay and draconian policies…contact centre staff are expected to work weekends and evenings on flat rates!”
Strike breaking tactics from Livv management
Once the strike ballots were run, and won, in October 2024, Livv revealed their true colours.
Workers were offered a 5% pay rise, so long as they “confirmed they were not union members”, and there were constant implied threats to the union reps.
As the strikes began to bite, Livv spent plenty of money on strike breaking contractors. For the Unite union, Sharon Graham commented: “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… 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.” [quote from Liverpool Echo article here].
Local Labour MP backs the workers in the dispute
The newly elected Labour MP for Knowsley, Annaliese Midgley, also played a good role, criticising Livv’s hostility to the unions and leading a debate in parliament in January where she pointed out Livv’s arrogance and union-busting tactics:
“In December, Livv wrote to all staff to say that they could have a 5% pay rise if they replied in writing to confirm that they were not a member of a trade union. The email says: “If you are a non-union member and would like to accept the pay award offer of 5%, please can you send confirmation of your acceptance and confirm that you are a non-union member. A one-line email to confirm you wish to receive the pay award and that you are not a union member will be enough.”
This practice is completely contrary to the spirit of the Employment Relations Act 2004, which sought to protect workers’ collective voice and to stop inducement and similar practices. However, some employers keep trying to find a way around the protections, and we have to put a stop to it.
I have personally written to the chief executive officer of Livv on multiple occasions, urging the housing association to engage constructively with the unions and to seek a fair resolution, but Léann Hearne has gone as far as to inform me that she will no longer engage with me in writing.”
Annaliese Midgley did formerly work for Unite [see this Liverpool Post article entitled: Despair for Blair: Trade unionist Midgley wins battle for Knowsley]. The neighbouring MP for Liverpool West Derby, Ian Byrne, has also been a firm supporter of the strikes.
The dispute lifted the curtain on a murky world of senior managers in social housing paying themselves huge sums, taking perks and putting each other on the boards of social housing organisations. Unite research showed that Léann Hearne herself sat on the boards of Notting Hill Genesis, Yorkshire Housing, and the Liverpool City Region Housing Association Partnership, as well as being CEO of Livv.
The unions have won a great victory
Finally, after 8 months of strikes, in early June, the unions were victorious. Members voted to accept a pay deal of 7.7% plus a one-off payment of £175. The employer’s pension contribution was agreed to be increased from 6% to 10% and the workers are to get three more days Annual Leave. As for CEO Léann Hearne, she is to step down to ‘spend more time with her family’ according to an article in Housing Today.
The dispute shows the continuing power of trade unions, given determination from the shop floor, committed reps and support from the union itself. Everyone points to the exceptional effort of the Unite full-time officer, John Shepherd, and also Organiser Laura Gleeson. Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham has been with the dispute at each step of the way. The dispute also shows that the left in the Labour Party may be down, but it’s not out. The support from MPs Annaliese Midgley and Ian Byrne made it impossible for Livv and its Chief Executive to simply stonewall the dispute and the cost to the organisation’s national reputation became just too great.
How the dispute was won
But the win took a lot of commitment from the members and especially the reps, a lot of work from the union officials and Sharon Graham, and a lot of money in strike pay [see this video report from the picket line that Unite has posted on facebook]. It should not be so difficult. If and when the Employment Rights Bill becomes law such struggles should become a lot easier.
And if the UK went back to the same level of union rights as the rest of Europe, like allowing solidarity action, the unions and the working class could regain much that has been taken away. Reform UK would vanish like a puff of smoke.
