Industrial action halted in row over parking passes

Some 166 staff - including social workers who provide home support services for families - stopped using their cars last month as the dispute escalated.

Hull Council introduced a pool car scheme, but that descended into chaos. Management have now made a new offer in a bid to bring the dispute to an end, offering workers who have to use their cars on council business passes for £10 a month, down from £30.

Unison - which had been planning a lobby of full council today - is recommending employees accept the offer and avoid “further protracted industrial action.” The union had collected numerous complaints over the pool car system including a social worker being given an “expensive, brand new” BMW and expressing “concern about what message that would give to families.” Others included cars being double-booked, coming to use them and finding a parking tickets attached and problems locating “misplaced” vehicles leading to social workers missing or being late for appointments.

The union has now ordered that all industrial action “must cease immediately including the non-use of pool cars.”

Hull Council declined to comment.