UNITE the Union has said it hopes a solution can be found before another set of parking enforcement officers in Ealing go on strike.

The dispute escalated following claims by Unite that Ealing Council had helped 'hound' a union rep out of his job after a council officer complained about posts made on social media.

Unite claims that a council officer wrote to Serco, requesting that the union rep be removed from his duties for bringing the council into 'disrepute'.

According to the union, the council officer justified the decision because the worker in question had stated on social media that Ealing Council would lose revenue from parking fines during an ongoing strike by Serco civil enforcement officers.

Unite continues on to say that the council is claiming that the worker 'conveys the council as a purely revenue generating authority.'

The union is also claiming that the same worker, along with a number of his colleagues, was previously offered a severance package by Serco in order to undermine trade union organisation, which resulted in the strike action last month, which saw parking enforcement officers joined by Ealing's three MPs, Rupa Huq, Virendra Sharma and James Murray.

Two 72-hour strikes were planned as a result, due to start today (June 1) and next week on June 9.

New Ealing Council leader, Peter Mason, promised to intervene to help solve the dispute.

Unite regional officer Clare Keogh said: "We welcome Peter Mason's promise to intervene in this dispute.

"No Labour council should be using the insecurity created by outsourcing to unjustly cast someone from a job they have spent two decades in, and the decision needs to be reversed immediately.

"Unite believes the civil enforcement contract should be brought under the control of Ealing council, as per Labour policy.

"The union is more than happy to work with Ealing council and Serco to avoid the strikes and parking disruption, as long as binding steps are taken to prevent any further targeting and victimisation of our members."

An Ealing Council spokesperson said: "Ensuring workers are treated fairly remains a commitment for the council.

"We are currently working to secure a resolution on this issue as a matter of priority and both the leader and newly-elected deputy leader of the council met with Unite representatives on May 20."