Ealing Traffic Wardens Protest at the Houses of Parliament
Union lodges letter of complaint against two local MPs
Greener Ealing traffic wardens demonstrate at Westminster. Picture: Unite the Union
April 24, 2025
Traffic wardens currently taking industrial action in the borough of Ealing have taken their protest to the Houses of Parliament.
This Wednesday (23 April) they unfurled banners on College Green and drove a van round Parliament Square with a display accusing leading local Labour politicians of betrayal.
The demonstration was held as letters of complaint against MPs Deirdre Costigan and James Murray sent to the parliamentary. standards commissioner. The letter has also been copied to the Labour Party’s general secretary and another complaint against Ealing Council leader Peter Mason has been lodged with Ealing council’s standards committee.
The protest, which was organised by Unite the Union, was a continuation of the long running dispute over union recognition and pay by employees of Greener Ealing Ltd (GEL) , the company wholly owned by Ealing Council which has responsibility for enforcing parking restrictions in the borough.
The union says that enforcement officer roles are completely different to the rest of GEL waste management workforce and, as a distinct group, they want Unite, which has represented the workers for over a decade, to be recognised for collective bargaining on their behalf.
The workers were previously employed by Serco before being transferred to GEL in April 2024, after council members backed their campaign to have the service insourced.
However, they say that they feel betrayed by Mr Mason and the two local MPs James Murray, who represents Ealing North, and Deirdre Costigan, who represents Ealing Southall. The striking workers say they received promises of support for their case.
Ms Costigan, who is the former council deputy leader, assisted the workers during their campaign and they also met with council leader Peter Mason. Both, however, are now, according to the union, ignoring calls for the council to recognise their union, as is MP James Murray.
Since the dispute began in August 2024, the union says that four members of staff have been sacked on ‘trumped up charges’ while they were on strike. GEL denies that this is the case.
A display was driven round Westminster accusing Labour politicians of betrayal. Picture: Unite the Union
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Greener Ealing’s civil enforcement officers have been treated appallingly by their local politicians. It is time they stepped up and supported these workers. Unite will not stop until the union-busting at Greener Ealing ends. The council must recognise the workers’ union and reinstate those who have been unfairly sacked."
We have contacted James Murray MP for comment.
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