As the industrial action enters its fourth week there is no sign of movement from the Council. Councillors say they will talk to us but at the same time they make it clear that they will talk only about achieving the cuts they want.

UNISON has said all along that we are willing to talk, but the response of Cabinet members has always been the same. Effectively, what they say to us is- ‘come and tell us how we can make cuts in your members’ working conditions’. Until they realise just how angry members are with this response and until they acknowledge just how low morale has sunk, there can be no progress.

UNISON at Regional and National levels continues to stand by you. We wholeheartedly back your action because we know other cash-strapped councils will be closely watching this dispute. If Southampton City Council succeed in beating you into submission others will surely do the same to their staff.

That is why the impact of the action must be maximised. Elsewhere in this bulletin you will see details of how action will be stiffened from next Monday. Everyone can help to make the dispute stronger. Please do not do anything that will weaken the action because solidarity is what we need now. We must keep the pressure on and make the employers realise that, sooner or later, they have to act to improve morale.

No doubt the Council’s leadership and senior managers feel they can defeat us. But the councillors’ actions could well rebound on them at the ballot box soon. In the long run, the real losers will be the people of the city because confrontation with staff is no way to run a Council.