Council workers employed by Pembrokeshire County Council have expressed shock at the £95,000 bumper pay-off for the authority’s out-going chief executive.
UNISON is outraged such an enormous sum has been agreed at a time when Pembrokeshire residents face the greatest social and economic uncertainty of recent times.
The trade union has criticised council executives for a lack of transparency in the decision and said paying thousands of pounds is offensive to low paid care workers, school support staff and others, who have worked tirelessly through the pandemic.
Jonathan Lewis, UNISON Pembrokeshire branch secretary, said,
“£95,000 is a lottery-size win and an incomprehensibly large amount of money for the thousands of low paid council staff who have continued to serve their community throughout the lockdown in very difficult circumstances.
“This deal was agreed behind closed doors and gives the impression the council is awash with money when the reality is key community services have been reduced by spending cuts.
“Council executives need a reality check. Their decision represents a crass lack of awareness for what their employees and local people have been going through for the last six months. UNISON is calling for an immediate review of the pay-off.”