Leisure workers campaigning for fair pay and to be taken back under council control in Neath Port Talbot say their mental health and well-being is at an all-time low, according to their union UNISON.
The union successfully campaigned for leisure services in the region to be publicly run in 2022.
Workers say this commitment is yet to be honoured and are calling on Neath Port Talbot Council to pledge to do this ahead of a meeting tomorrow (Thursday).
Leisure worker and UNISON Neath Port Talbot branch chair Mike Bendyk (pictured above) said: “The council promised that leisure would be taken back in house only for staff to be let down at the last minute.
“Leisure workers are urging the council’s cabinet to do the right thing and work with UNISON to give these hard-working but under-valued staff a break.”
UNISON Neath Port Talbot branch secretary Mark Fisher said: “Leisure employees have worked under extreme pressures over the last two years to deliver fantastic financial figures in difficult circumstances.
“Budget settlements have been challenging since the successful campaign to bring these privatised services back in house.
“The union has found a solution from which everyone can benefit. All leisure staff will now want fair pay and to be allowed into the local government pension scheme.”
– In February 2022 Neath Port Talbot councillors voted unanimously to move leisure services back into public ownership after more than 20 years of being run by Celtic Leisure.
– Neath Port Talbot Council is yet to honour this commitment and will discuss the future of leisure at a meeting of its education, skills and wellbeing scrutiny committee at 2pm on Thursday 12 September in the council chamber.
