A debt advice charity sacked four of six frontline staff members who voted in favour of strike action in a dispute with their employer over trade union recognition, conditions and pay.
Third Sector reported this week that employees at Rooted Finance, represented by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain, would go on strike on 18 and 19 March.
But four debt advisers at the charity were sacked suddenly on 8 March, the same day strike action was announced, the IWGB said.
In December, Rooted Finance employees represented by the IWGB sent a letter to the charity’s management raising concerns about pay, inadequate training and working conditions.
The union said management responded with a string of disciplinaries and one-on-one meetings, which workers “interpreted as an attempt to intimidate them out of taking trade union action”.
The IWGB said: “Just a few hours after workers announced their plans to take strike action, management dismissed them remotely and immediately locked them out of their work laptops,” said the union.
“Those fired have been left worrying how their clients will survive now that their support has been so suddenly withdrawn.”
Muna Yassin, chief executive of Rooted Finance, said the workers were not dismissed due to the planned strike action.
She said: “Action Rooted Finance has taken is in relation to employees’ conduct under their individual employment contracts, not union activity, and they have the right to appeal the action as is the option open to them in employment legislation.”