UNION leaders have hailed two days of industrial action a victory for underpaid council workers.

Representatives of the Ryedale branch of UNISON have reported empty offices in the environmental health, planning, housing departments and legal services.

The benefits department was also reported to have been affected by the two day walk-out last Wednesday and Thursday.

Last week’s unrest was part of a long-running battle over pay after employers the Local Government Association, who represent councils, offered workers a 2.45 per wage rise. Unions are asking for a six per cent increase.

Executive member of the Ryedale branch of UNISON, Robert Robinson, said: “It was encouraging to see the level of support and I think members are really concerned about the difficult financial times they are facing.

“We hear the news headlines about inflation and people really fear a cut in a standard of living. Wages are not keeping up with inflation, which could be up to 12 per cent in real terms.”

Union leaders in Malton said supervisors at the authority’s depot on Showfield Lane were forced to drive the rubbish collection vans while workers manned the picket lines.

Branch secretary Paul Hunt added: “We have had solid support and I would estimate 90 per cent of members at Ryedale House went out on strike.

“There was significant disruption across most services and supervisors were forced to take out the rubbish collection vans at the Showfield Lane depot.”

But head of commercial services, Phil Long, which organises collection of rubbish across the area, said the action had a “minimal” impact on his department.

He said: “Only a couple of thousand properties in Ryedale had their recycling collections a day late. Only about 20 per cent of staff in commercial services took part in the strike so they (the union) did not enjoy a great deal of support from our unit.”

A handful of schools across the district were also affected by the strike, which is said to have been the biggest bout of industrial unrest among local government workers for many years. Office staff, caretakers and catering workers who joined the action, resulted in the closure of Lady Lumley’s and Norton College over the two days.