A union is mounting a campaign to end National Car Parks' control of parking enforcement in Brighton and Hove.

The GMB wants Brighton and Hove City Council to cut its links with NCP and not renew the contract in 2005.

The union has accused the company of treating parking attendants and clerical staff unfairly.

Mark Minal, regional organiser for the GMB, said: "NCP does not have enough procedures for training or dealing with staff/management disputes.

"There is also inadequate provision for dealing with problems with the public.

"If a member of the public complains about the way they have been treated by a parking attendant and there are allegations of assault, it seems NCP takes a statement from the member of the public, calls in the attendant and presents the case as a fait accompli without giving the warden a chance for representation.

"We are starting a campaign to lobby councillors not to renew NCP's contract."

The union claimed one parking attendant had been sacked in the past eight weeks and another was facing disciplinary action following incidents dealt with in this way.

The union said relations between management and staff were at an all-time low, as reflected in high staff turnover.

The city council signed a four-year deal with NCP in July 2001, which meant attendants employed by NCP were responsible for enforcing parking regulations across the city.

In the first 16 months, there were 15 incidents involving members of the public and parking attendants, which came to the notice of the police.

Most were disputes sparked by drivers being given tickets.

The GMB is one of the most powerful unions in the Brighton area with binmen, front-line council staff, bus drivers and mechanics among its members.

But because the GMB does not have 50 per cent membership among staff working at NCP, the company refuses to recognise it or negotiate with the union on staff matters.

A spokeswoman for the council, which speaks on behalf of NCP, said: "No one has been dismissed or disciplined by NCP without following the correct procedures as laid down by Acas".

She said no one had been dismissed by NCP in the past eight weeks but one member of staff was facing disciplinary procedures.

Friday December 05, 2003