THERE is some hope today (Thursday, 15 April, that there may be progress in resolving the dispute that has led to a strike by members of Thurrock Council's environmental department over pay and conditions.

In an internal briefing to councillors, the authority has acknowledged that there are 188 staff on its payroll that will be 'negatively impacted' by its current plans to change working practices.

That involves members of the waste collection staff which the council say could lose as much as £1,282 a year by the changes.

That figure is still some distance than the impact claimed by the Unite union who say some members of the workforce could lose around £4,500 a year.

The council and a number of senior councillors have been adamant previously that the changes would not be detrimental to members of its staff and that changes are only to overtime payments and allowances that are not part of the basic pay package.

There will be a meeting today with Unite and other unions representing workers affected by the proposed changes and the council will be tabling details of compensation it might pay to those who end up losing money.

Councillors have been told in the briefing: "All staff who are negatively impacted by the final outcome of consultation, and are negatively affected by the allowances, will be compensated."

The compensation will also include five members of staff who work at Collings House, where the impact of the changes was highlighted in a recent Thurrock Nub News story.