Employees at Braintree Council will not strike over changes to the way they are paid.

Council workers have reluctantly agreed to move over to monthly from weekly pay after the council approved a recommendation in December.

Braintree Council adopted the executive's decision to switch to monthly payments at a meeting of full council.

All General Municipal Boiler Workers' Union (GMB) employees were balloted over industrial action and despite 55 per cent in favour of going on strike, Doug Rigby, senior representative at the council, said the majority was not enough to legally walk out.

The move from weekly to monthly is part of the Conservative administration's attempt to save money so council tax levels are kept to a minimum.

The members who are affected range from employees in the recycling, refuse, horticulture, rapid response and building maintenance sectors.

As well as restructuring payroll, the administration has identified savings in corporate services, recycling, organisational development, housing, bailiffs and cashiering, all of which have been passed.

Published Tuesday January 13, 2004

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