​Further strikes by Livv Housing staff as pay agreement yet to be reached

Staff at Livv Housing Group have begun fresh strike action as an ongoing pay dispute continues to rumble on.

Members of the Unite and Unison unions have secured a fresh six-month mandate for action and walked out from yesterday in an action that will last until 30 March.

The action, taken by hundreds of staff at the 13,000-home association, is the latest in the long-running dispute, which was triggered after the unions last year rejected a 5% pay increase for 2024/25, which Livv has said would be one of the highest in the social housing sector.

In the latest negotiations, Knowsley-based Livv said it offered a reduction in hours of work, increased pension contribution, a two-year pay award deal of 7.7% over 2 years, increased holiday entitlement and a salary review process.

A Livv spokesperson said: “Our proposal provides a potential increase in pay and benefits package that equates to 17.88%.

“The offer is based on what is affordable to us as a business and is a result of comprehensive negotiations – it is thorough, fair, and shows our commitment to helping colleagues return to work.”

She added: “We are eager to reach an agreement and halt any further industrial action, but we must ensure that any offer does not harm the business or compromise the crucial services we provide to our customers. We hope that the unions will now take this to their members and they feel that it’s an acceptable offer to end this dispute.”

However unions have so far not accepted the offer.

Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, said the dispute will “continue to escalate” until Livv addresses the years of real terms pay cuts its workers have suffered.”

Unite has repeatedly pointed to the £110.6m Livv holds as reserves, saying they have “millions in the bank” and can afford to pay more – failing to mention the housing association is not-for-profit and reinvests its surpluses.

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Livv issued a statement last month pointing out that surpluses or reserves are not excess funds, and are “essential for maintaining financial stability and supporting future growth and are continuously reinvested to improve services and support our communities”.

Tony Caffery, north west regional organiser at Unison, said Livv’s statement that it had offered a benefits and pay package that equates to a 17.88% increase as “completely misleading. He said: “This has been inflated by including a pension salary sacrifice scheme, which costs Livv nothing, and discretionary leave that staff already receive.

“Unison and Unite put forward a fair suggestion of a 5% increase for each of the next two years, alongside a commitment to introduce a phased reduction to working hours and hold discussions on career progression. Livv rejected this outright.”

Livv has drafted in two contractors to cover services during the strike to ensure they are able to maintain services to residents.

The latest strikes follow industrial action by repair, maintenance and call centre staff in October, November, January and February.