Striking Livv employees return to work after settling long-running pay dispute
Staff at Merseyside-based Livv Housing Group have gone back to work after an eight-month pay dispute with two major unions was resolved.
Staff at Merseyside-based Livv Housing Group have gone back to work after an eight-month pay dispute with two major unions was resolved #UKhousingUnite and Unison members at the 13,000-home housing association have taken part in a series of walk-outs since last October over annual pay increases and benefits.
However, the staff – who worked in maintenance and the group’s call centre – have now returned after voting for the latest pay award put forward by Livv.
It is understood that an increase of 5% for the 2024-25 financial year and 2.7% in the current financial year have been accepted.
A Livv spokesperson told Inside Housing that 119 staff had been on strike as of May 2025.
Over the duration of the dispute, Unison said it had represented nearly 100 workers, while Unite said it had around 150 members on strike.
Under the new deal, all Livv staff will also receive a one-off non-consolidated payment of £175. Unite previously claimed that the dispute arose from “years of below-inflation pay increases”.
Matched pension contributions will also rise to 10% as part of the agreement. The landlord is moving to a 39-hour working week. Maintenance staff were previously expected to work a 40-hour week.
Extra discretionary Christmas holiday days, offered to staff based on their annual performance, are being made contractual.
Sharon Graham, general sectary of Unite, congratulated the union’s members at the landlord, whom she said had “stood strong for eight months to win this fantastic deal”.
A joint working group, involving Livv and the unions, will also be set up to review all terms and conditions, according to Unite.
In a statement, Livv said: “We are pleased that our colleagues have returned to work following the unions’ recommendation to accept our existing offer – which included a pay award of 5% for 2024-25 and 2.7% for 2025-26, as well as a benchmarking of existing benefits.
“We take pride in knowing that our employment package is one of the most favourable in the sector, reflecting our commitment to our colleagues.”
John Sheppard, regional officer at Unite, said: “This deal is a real step forward and could not have been achieved without the hard work and dedication of our reps and members. It is a prime example of why housing workers wanting better wages and working lives should join Unite and get their colleagues to join too.”
James Robinson, secretary of the Knowsley branch at Unison, said: “This is an outstanding victory for the teams who work in repairs, maintenance, housing advice, property access and the call centre. They were all determined to keep pushing for the pay they deserve.”
In its last reported full year to the end of March 2024, Livv recorded a 78% drop in group post-tax surplus, to £6.1m, as its costs rose. It came despite a 9% rise in turnover to £74m.
The group currently has the top grades of G1/V1 with the regulator, but has yet to be assessed for consumer standards.
During the strike in February, a war of word broke out between the two sides, after Livv hit back at claims that it had millions of pounds worth of reserves. It said they were “not excess funds” and were “essential for maintaining financial stability and supporting future growth”.
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