COUNCIL workers in east London are to take another three days of strike action next week after Tower Hamlets went through with plans to sack staff and rehire them on inferior contracts. 

Unison members walked out last week in protest at the council’s decision to force thousands of employees, including street cleaners, social workers and care staff, onto the new contracts. 

The union claims the Tower Rewards scheme detrimentally changes a wide range of terms, conditions and allowances and disproportionately affects women and black and ethnic-minority (BAME) workers. 

Three days of strike action on July 3, 6 and 7 saw hundreds of Unison members picket sites across the borough.

Some two-thirds of the workforce refused to move voluntarily onto the scheme. 

Unison convenor and social-care worker Amina Patel said: “It’s an affront that the mayor and council say that no-one will be worse off because of Tower Rewards and that it doesn’t increase inequality. 

“As a modestly paid BAME woman, I personally get no pay increase, but my allowance will be cut by £596 a year.”

Tower Hamlets claims that the scheme increases annual leave and raises salaries for hard- to-fill posts.

The strike is planned for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.