Shelter’s staff members of Unite have had their strike suspended by the trade union so it can hold a ballot on whether to accept the latest pay offer.

On December 5th  the charity’s 600 employees started a two week long strike over wages.

Following prolonged and intensive discussions at ACAS last week the charity’s representative at the arbitration service submitted an increased pay offer, which the union decided should be put to the test with its members and said “as an act of good faith” it has decided to suspend the remainder of the strike for the time being and has organised a ballot for its members.

Unite regional officer Peter Storey says: “Unite has been crystal clear from the outset that we believed that this dispute could and should be resolved through negotiations.

“Following the talks at ACAS an improved offer was made and therefore Unite has suspended action to allow its members to be balloted on the proposed deal.”

Prior to Unite’s industrial action the union stated that Shelter’s leadership team’s pay offer was imposing on workers in real terms of an 11 per cent pay cut because of the true inflation rate.