2006

5 Sept: UNISON slams Edinburgh Council for ‘bully boy’ conditions cuts and sack threat

28 March 06: Thousands back pensions strike

27 March 06: Edinburgh Rally to be told pension cuts are a disgrace

03 Jan 06: UNISON calls on first minister to respect Edinburgh tenants and wipe out housing debt

1 Feb 06: Equal Pay - Council financial settlement offer. Letter sent to members in affected groups

26 Jan: Letter to members who may receive 'equal pay' offers

3 Jan: UNISON calls on first minister to respect Edinburgh tenants and wipe out housing debt

2005

30 Dec: UNISON takes action to protect low paid after council tries to sidestep equal pay laws

15 Dec 2005: TENANTS VOTE NO! UNISON CALLS FOR COUNCIL TO NOW LOOK AT PUBLIC ALTERNATIVES FOR PUBLIC HOUSING

Sept 05: EQUAL PAY - INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS

30 Dec: UNISON takes action to protect low paid after council tries to sidestep equal pay laws

23 Nov: Housing Stock Transfer ballot under way - new broadsheet and advertsising campaign

6 July: Respect public service workers, our city and the make poverty history campaign, says Edinburgh UNISON

30 June: G8 Saturday – Stay away troublemakers, and respect public service workers, says UNISON

21 March: UNISON CALLS OFF LOCAL GOVERNMENT PENSION STRIKE

27 Jan: Edinburgh’s new Children & Families Department must tackle resource crisis and learn from others’ mistakes, says UNISON

21 January 05: Edinburgh Social Work cash crisis again: Care packages stopped and £100,000 child protection pleges vanishes

2004

19 August: Audit confirms resources are the key to child protection

28 May: Strike over as Edinburgh Nursery Nurses vote to accept revised offer

20 May: Edinburgh nursery nurses to be balloted on revised offer

11 May: Edinburgh nursery nurses reject offer and warn council against prolonging dispute

6 May: Edinburgh City Centre vermin threat as night cleansing is cut, warns UNISON

31 March: NURSERY NURSES MARK SUFFRAGETTE ANNIVERSARY WITH CHARLOTTE SQUARE VIGIL

9 March 04: Nursery Nurses rally to both of 'Edinburgh's Disgraces'

1 March 04: UNISON slams Edinburgh 'del boy' offer as nursery strike starts

3 Feb 04: Council must ‘put up or shut up’ on Nursery Nurses

UNISON calls for 'critical debate' on O'Brien Inquiry

2003

No season of goodwill with 'intolerable pressures' on Edinburgh's social workers - UNISON alerts council to unallocated work

Parents and nursery nurses join forces to confront CoSLA - Scottish UNISON leader to address Edinburgh council

O'Brien Inquiry Information - see Social Work pages

7 Oct: Edinburgh Nursery Nurses lobby First Minister and public as anger grows

6 Oct: Nursery Nurse events this week in Edinburgh

Letter to parents underlines that for most nursery nurses, the offer gives extra hours but NO rise at all!

1 Oct: Nursery nurse talks at risk from councillor's letter

12 Sept: Fury over nursery nurse offer 'sham'

11 Sept: UNISON challenges Council to be 'straight with staff' and 'honest with nursery nurses'

11 August 03: Council admits staff 7% underpaid - but reneges on pay deal

11 Aug 03: UNISON says Employers' investigation into Nursery Nurses is flawed.

28 May 03: Nursery Nurses to lobby CoSLA

26 May 03: Nursery nurse strike action to target Edinburgh, Lothians and Borders

22 May 03: 'If you mean what you say, then let's have talks' nursery nurses tell council

21 May 03: Huge support for Edinburgh's nursery nurses on first strike day

21 May 03: Edinburgh’s nursery nurses demonstrate for fair deal

12 May 03: Nursery Nurses vote to strike

01 Jan 03: New Year Message: UNISON Edinburgh calls for a period of stability, respect and recognition for staff to give them the tools to deliver Edinburgh's services.

2002

30 August 02: UNISON Mela sponsorship 'Celebrates all that's best in Scotland'

28 August 02: UNISONScotland index on Middle East Crisis

19 Feb 02: Edinburgh janitors vindicated by arbitration decision

14 Feb 02: Nursery staff grading claim submitted to City of Edinburgh Council

Latest Janitors Strike News

2001

20 Dec 01: Janitors - Joint statement on arbitration

14 Dec 01: Talks hope as janitors leave widow of opportunity

9 Dec 01: UNISON calls for re-think on ‘flawed’ Edinburgh Scrutiny Panel report

Childrens Services Crisis - Grievance

6 Dec 01: Janitors consider ACAS approach despite council provocation

3 Dec 01: UNISON says stubborn council has picked fight with janitors

29 Nov 01: Edinburgh spurns unions’ offer to avert Janitors’ strike

29 Nov 01: UNISON warns public before last minute bid to avoid Edinburgh janitor’s strike

17 Nov 01: UNISON calls for real modernisation and partnership to make services Positively Public

3 March 01: Creches could have been saved: UNISON says no-one taking responsibility for cuts in service

6 March 01: UNISON members vote 'Yes' to pay deal

13 Feb 01: Edinburgh council budget must address children services crisis (13 Feb)

Four-year inflation-busting pay offer to be put to UNISON members.

Return to work crisis averted (12 Jan)

'Rogue' Edinburgh Council risks pay talks by victimising returning strikers (11 Jan)

2000

UNISON SINGING CAROLS FOR FAIR PAY

UNISON to fight Edinburgh Leisure holidays fiddle

Local government pay dispute window of opportunity

UNISON won’t be scrooge at festive season, but warns...Talks, not media dirty tricks will solve dispute

UNISON RESPONDS TO COSLA’S IMPOSITION OF PAY AWARD Action to escalate

Strike escalation adds to councils' problems (16 Nov)

Sheriff Officers will be reading your mail! (15 Nov)

Edinburgh Gritters to strike after Council uses strong-arm tactics (14 Nov 2000)

Council draws back on strike suspensions

Edinburgh council workers start selective strikes - areas announced.

Selective strikes start in local council pay dispute

UNISON action to escalate Scotland-wide as 68% reject pay offer

Edinburgh UNISON members reject pay offer in landslide vote

UNISON warns strike may close schools

‘Pay insult’ angers Edinburgh council workers

Strike ballot called as local government pay talks collapse

March for Equality and Diversity - Saturday 24 June Edinburgh

UNISON calls on Edinburgh to save childrens project

Edinburgh Budget: UNISON calls for partnership

Serving Scotland's Capital - UNISON calls for partnership for Edinburgh's services in 2000

1999

Edinburgh UNISON backs election inquiry but warns against scapegoating staff or management (28 Oct)

UNISON proved right on cleaning crisis prediction: Call for united front on education funding

3.3% pay deal accepted

Revenue and Benefits Strike Settled (20 July)

Edinburgh care staff ‘outraged’ at anonymous allegations

Edinburgh UNISON tells Tony Blair Stop moaning and give us the tools for the job (7 July 99)

Serving Scotland's Capital

Edinburgh budget breathing space for jobs, but UNISON slams nursery cuts and job loss. - Union offers partnership to save services (4 March)

Edinburgh to privatise Garden Aid (24 Feb)

UNISON General Secretary calls on Scottish Parliament to scrap PFI (15 Feb)

UNISON welcomes Edinburgh Inquiry call for more resources (4 Feb)

1998

Evening News Shock for School Meals Staff (15 Nov 98)

UNISON Calls for Lifeline for Local Government 28 September 1998: Response to Chancellor Gordon Brown's speech

The Schools Private Finance Illusion (7 July)

Response to Local Govt and Scottish Parliament Commisssion

 

 

Four-year inflation-busting pay offer to be put to UNISON members.

UNISON, Scotland's largest local government union today agreed put a new offer from Scottish Councils to a ballot of their 80,000 Scottish Local Government members. The offer guarantees inflation-plus pay awards giving an average 14.1% increase to Scottish Council staff for the years 2000 -2004.

The pay rises would range from 16.37% at the bottom of the scales to 11.29% at the top. The pay offer increases the current two-year offer from 6.1% to 6.5% by bringing the settlement date for next year (2002) forward to March. .In addition there is a commitment to reopen discussions at any point, should inflation get within 1/4% of the annual settlement. The settlement in 2002 will be a flat rate £500 which will deliver a minimum wage in Scottish Local government which will break the £5.00 an hour barrier for the first time - the lowest paid council worker will earn £5.03 per hour..

The indefinite industrial action that affected around 1300 local government staff across Scotland will remain suspended whilst the ballot is carried out

Joe Di Paola, UNISON's Scottish Organiser for Local Government, said
"This new offer is a major step forward and we want to ask our members whether they are prepared to accept it. The members' wishes have driven us throughout this dispute. It is the members' action in the one-day and selective strikes that has pushed the employers to this new position. This offer is the first inflation-plus pay offer that I am aware of. It improves on the 6.1% offer for the existing two years, guarantees members pay will be above inflation for two further years, and takes a major step towards dealing with the problem of low pay. It is now time for them to tell us what they think of this new offer."

John Stevenson, UNISON City of Edinburgh Branch spokesperson said,

"We will consult members and activists over the week on whether we should recommend rejection or acceptance. But there are two key issues in this offer. The flat rate we have long campaigned for is one, and the other is the first ever inflation proofing mechanism. Our members will have to look at these very closely. It is their action that has brought us this far".

The union, who represent two-thirds of Scottish local government workers, was claiming 5% or £500 for 2000's pay rise, plus a minimum wage of £5 per hour. They rejected both CoSLA's original 2.5% offer and the new 6.1% two-year deal, and have been in dispute with CoSLA for over 5 months.
ENDS

NOTE: UNISON City of Edinburgh Branch represents over 8,000 staff working for the City of Edinburgh Council.

Pay Offer 1 April 2000 - 31 March 2004

 

Home Page | Top Index | UNISONNews

 

Return to work crisis averted (12 Jan)

Agreement has now been reached with the City of Edinburgh Council that we will await the outcome of talks at CoSLA regarding return to work agreement. No plans will be implemented meantime.

Home Page | Top Index | UNISONNews

11 January 2000

'Rogue' Edinburgh Council risks pay talks by victimising returning strikers

UNISON has reacted furiously to Edinburgh Council's plans to penalise strikers who are returning to work at CoSLA's request to allow talks to resolve the six month pay dispute.

Despite national negotiations on conditions for a return to work, Edinburgh has unilaterally imposed its own terms. It has announced that when the strikers return it will:
- cut their annual leave entitlement
- cut rights to sick pay
- cut any access to future career breaks.

"It is hard to find words for our anger. These members are going back as part of a national agreement to allow talks to take place, yet they are being kicked in the teeth by a vindictive Council. You have to ask whether Edinburgh really wants a settlement and to restore normal services", said John Stevenson, UNISON Edinburgh spokesperson.

"By another idiotic move, the Council has again managed to insult its whole workforce. This exposes the problems that have led to so much unrest in the first place and will make it all the harder to reach a settlement"

Douglas Black, Edinburgh UNISON Secretary and one of the national negotiators said,

"We are in talks with CoSLA to ensure a smooth return to work to allow crucial talks to take place. Rogue actions like this by Edinburgh will hardly help that process. I call on Edinburgh Council to withdraw its threats and get into proper talks to try to reach an honest solution in the interests of its staff and the people of Edinburgh".
ENDS

Home Page | Top Index | UNISONNews

20 December 2000

UNISON SINGING CAROLS FOR FAIR PAY

Click here for card and leaflet

A group of City of Edinburgh UNISON members - some on indefinite strike - will gather outside the City Chambers (High Street Edinburgh) on Thursday 21 December at 5pm to sing Christmas Carols outside the Labour Councillors’ Christmas Party.

“We have been accused of being ‘selfish’ and in our campaign for fair pay. We want to show everybody that is not true - and what better time than the season of goodwill”, said John Stevenson, UNISON Edinburgh spokesperson.

In presenting a giant Christmas Card (click here), the carol singers will also have a serious message.

“Even during our strike for fair pay, thousands of our members in childrens homes, homes for older people and a range of emergency and caring services will be working round the clock over Christmas and New Year to provide essential services”, said Mr Stevenson.

“Our members are committed to those services. But local government pay has fallen so far behind, councils are having problems recruiting staff to do these jobs. A fair pay settlement could make the difference”, he added.

“With the Scottish Executive, UNISON and even some councils saying they think a settlement is possible, we are calling for some festive goodwill from councillors to get into real talks to solve the nine month old dispute.

UNISON points out that

“We will be leafleting the public to ask them to urge their councillors to brief themselves on the dispute and push for a settlement”, said Mr Stevenson

ENDS

Home Page | Top Index | UNISONNews

 

11 December 2000

UNISON to fight Edinburgh Leisure holidays fiddle

UNISON is to mount a three pronged campaign to fight changes to contracts that could see Edinburgh Leisure staff lose hundreds of pounds in pay, as yet again the Trust tries to undermine conditions protected under Transfer of Undertakings Regulations (TUPE).

The union’s City of Edinburgh Branch has slammed the Leisure Trust’s consultation with staff as a ‘fiddle’. The Trust, which runs Edinburgh’s leisure centres and swimming pools, wants to change five public holidays to annual leave, meaning staff working public holidays will lose out on enhanced payments. UNISON was prepared to talk about a possible buy-out but the Trust refused.

The union will now send a letter to all members to apply to Employment Tribunals, will lobby the City of Edinburgh Council as the primary funders and consult its members on industrial action.

“UNISON balloted members individually and they voted with a resounding ‘NO’ to the change in conditions. The Trust claimed it had balloted all staff but they were found out and eventually admitted they merely ‘consulted’ via managers. On the basis of this dubious exercise, they are claiming staff have voted for the change”, said George Lee Edinburgh UNISON Manual Convenor.

On top of all this, the union is furious that the Trust has sent out a letter asking staff to sign to agree to the change. The letter ignores a contractual requirement to give staff the opportunity to sign to disagree with the change.

“The Trust’s own statement of particulars require any changes to conditions to be negotiated with the union. They have even ignored that. These are disgraceful breaches of the Trust’s obligations and give the lie to City of Edinburgh Council’s assurances that staff conditions would be safe after transfer from direct council control”, added Mr Lee.

“The Trust’s letter to staff claims it does not want to issue new ‘statements of particulars’, yet it plans to do just that. We have received a copy for consultation which, along with the holiday changes, sneaks in further reductions to pay and conditions. You expect this from a ‘cowboy’ employer, not an arms-length Council Trust”.

ENDS

Note: UNISON holds documentation to substantiate its complaints about the Trust’s actions.

Home Page | Top Index | UNISONNews

 

7 December 2000

Local government pay dispute window of opportunity

UNISON's National Disputes Committeemeeting in London earlier today decided to defer a decision to escalate its programme of industrial action in local government in Scotland to allow talks on the current dispute to proceed.

After an approach by the employers to UNISON directly, the union has agreed to take advantage of this window of opportunity and will not escalate the dispute at the present time.

In making their decision, the Committee recognised the employers' position both with regard to inflatioon-proofing the current offer and a guarantee of inflation-plus pay awards in future years. The employers have also said that negotiations could be weighted towards the lower paid - an objective which UNISON has been fighting for for many years.

UNISON's National Disputes Committee expressed strong support for the current industrial action and the continuing fight by members in Scotland to reach a successful conclusion to the dispute.

The committee will meet again in early January to review the situation and will look positively at the call for escalation should talks break down.

Matt Smith, UNISON's Scottish Secretary, called upon CoSLA to re-open negotiations immediately.

"The ball is now clearly with the Employers' Side. We have decided not to further escalate the dispute at this time. This gives the opportunity for negotiations to begin. I have written today to Pat Watters, the Employers' Side leading negotiator, calling for urgent talks. We are long past time for a settlement".

John Stevenson, Edinburgh UNISON Vice Chair said, "We are glad that more disruption over the festive season can be avoided. We said neither we nor the employers should be Scrooge over Christmas and we hope this will bring a genuine attempt to solve the dispute.

"We are asking Edinburgh Council leaders to play a full part in CoSLA to bring about a settlement".

ENDS

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UNISON won’t be scrooge at festive season, but warns...
Talks, not media dirty tricks will solve dispute

Edinburgh UNISON is calling on the City of Edinburgh Council to ignore the CoSLA ‘dirty tricks’ campaign and use its influence to get councils back to the talks they walked away from last week.

Over 90 strikers meeting today were furious at a CoSLA letter, exposed by the Evening News, that calls on councils to create public fear by publicising a ‘worst possible scenario’ of the effects of UNISON’s action.

“We will certainly not be Scrooge this Christmas and we will genuinely try to avoid any unnecessary impact on Hogmanay festivities. We are asking the Council to do the same”, said John Stevenson, Edinburgh UNISON Vice Chair.

“But we are now worried that the CoSLA letter betrays a strategy to risk services just to get UNISON a bad press”.

UNISON say their targeted areas in Edinburgh for indefinite strike were designed to put pressure on finances, senior managers and councillors. They say the Council knew it would get little public sympathy in these areas.

“The Council then began to undermine our action by using agencies and by threatening other staff. They knew we would be forced into areas that would affect the public directly and they were prepared to take that risk with services. The CoSLA letter seems to suggest they welcome this as a chance to turn the public against UNISON”.

“By their intransigence, the Councils are the ones playing roulette with council services.”

“Let us not forget, it was the councils who walked away from the talks with ACAS. Let us not forget that the Scottish Executive have said a solution is possible, more and more councils are saying a solution is possible. UNISON believes a solution is possible. Only CoSLA seems to be stuck in ‘NO’ mode”.

ENDS

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17 NOVEMBER 2000

UNISON RESPONDS TO COSLA’S IMPOSITION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT PAY AWARD

LOCAL GOVERNMENT STRIKE ACTION TO BE ESCALATED NEXT WEEK

UNISON has responded with concern to the announcement by COSLA that it is to impose a pay award on local government staff. Joe Di Paola, UNISON’s Scottish Organiser for Local Government, said,

“COSLA’s decision is very unhelpful and runs the risk of prolonging rather than shortening this dispute.

“However, we have made clear from the beginning that we would enter into negotiations with COSLA at any time. And we have already indicated to ACAS our willingness for them to act as conciliators. This dispute will only be resolved through negotiation. UNISON still has an outstanding pay claim for 2000/2001 which has yet to be concluded.

“We cannot accept this unilateral action by COSLA as the end of the matter and our plans to escalate strike action next week remain unchanged.”

Edinburgh UNISON Spokesperson John Stevenson said, "If the Councils impose the award, we will see it as an interim payment pending a proper settlement. They can afford more and our members deserve more".

ENDS

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Date: 16 November 2000

Strike escalation adds to councils' problems

As around 70,000 UNISON members struck for the third day of action in four months, Scotland's largest local government union announced that - as there had been no movement from CoSLA - they would be starting a further series of selective industrial action from Thursday November 23. This would mean bringing out on indefinite strike a new wave of key workers, adding to the day-to-day problems of running Scotland's Councils.

In addition services were closed or severely disrupted across Scotland as UNISON members stayed away. Council Offices, housing and social work services, libraries and museums, public health and cleansing services were affected. Schools in some areas were either shut or had limited classes, and strikers attended rallies in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Falkirk and Glasgow. Emergency Services and 'Life and limb' cover was maintained, except where councils had deliberately provoked the union by bringing in private firms to break the strike of the selective strikers. Dougie Black, Chair of UNISON's Trade Union side, said

" It is almost unbelievable that Scotland's Councils seem more intent in deliberately provoking their staff to escalate their action than in pressurising their own side to resolve their problems. We know that the selective strikes are causing major problems for councils, and yet they allow their negotiators to prolong the agony."

Joe Di Paola, UNISON's Scottish Organiser for Local Government said
"The success of today's action shows that UNISON members are as committed as ever to the fight for a fair pay deal in 2000. They have also shown that they will not allow their colleagues on indefinite strike action to be victimised and picked off. Unfortunately, instead of pressurising CoSLA to deal with the problems of low pay, Scottish Councils' appear to think that attacking their own staff will resolve their problems. It will not resolve anything.
"As we have had no movement from CoSLA, and only threats from councils, we have to respond by adding further groups to the indefinite strike action."

The groups, who are listed overleaf, add a further 700+ staff on indefinite strike, doubling the 600+ who started their strike on 1 November. It will also affect an additional seven councils, bringing the total number affected to 26 (from a total of 32).

ENDS

Note to Editors: The lists of NEW groups of staff called out on indefinite action is listed overleaf. They are listed by council, and are in addition to those announced on 1 November 2000, who also remain on strike.
P2 New Selective Strike Action - UNISON pay dispute

Aberdeen City Council: Collections Team - Revenues Section/Finance Department
Angus Council: Non Domestic Rates & Incomes/Supervisors (Recovery)/Machine Room
Argyll & Bute Council: Janitorial Employees
City of Edinburgh Council: Telecommunications Exchange
Clackmannanshire Council: Community Access Points
Dundee City Council: Support Services/Finance Revenues/Information Technology/
Lawside Academy
East Dunbartonshire Council: IT Helpdesk
East Renfrewshire Council: School Janitors/Hallkeepers/Call Centre/Barrhead Sports Centre/
Neilston Leisure Centre/ Eastwood Recreation Centre
Falkirk Council: Neighbourhood Officers/Central Allocations Officers
Fife Council: Finance - Council Tax Recovery/Council Service Officers & Assistants
Highland Council: Corran Ferry/Inverness Service Point/Cash Collection - Service Point (Church Street)/Cash Staff - Headquarters
Inverclyde Council: Housing Benefits/Committee Clerks
Midlothian Council: Revenues/Housing
Moray Council: Environmental (Cleansing)
North Ayrshire Council: Finance Section/Creditors
Perth & Kinross Council: IT
Renfrewshire Council: Housing Neighbourhood offices-clerical staff/Committee Clerks Members' Services
South Ayrshire Council: Council Officers/Civic Officers
South Lanarkshire Council: Housing/Tech Resources (Debtors Section)
West Lothian Council: Members Services/IT Services/Creditors/Admin & Legal Staff/Revenues

Home Page | Top Index | UNISONNews

15 November 2000

Edinburgh Council threatens American style strike-busting

Edinburgh UNISON has information that the City of Edinburgh Council is set to bring in Sheriff Officers to deal with mail and cash payments to try to break the pay strike at its Finance offices at Chesser House and Waterloo Place.

Cash Collection and Security staff have been on strike since 1 November as part of the Scotland-wide campaign for an improvement on the Councils’ 3% offer this year.

“We understand that the Council is planning to use Sheriff Officers to take cash, cheques and mail off the premises to process it at their own office. The move has been prompted by the Council’s panic at losing at least £5 million in payments since the strike began”, said John Stevenson UNISON Edinburgh spokesperson.

“While we have no reason to doubt the integrity of Sheriff Officers, we are sure the public did not intend their mail and their cheques to be seen by anyone except the Council”, he added.

Kevin Duguid, UNISON branch officer and Finance Department steward said, “Our members are angry at yet another American-style strike busting attempt by the Council. As we keep saying to them, this can only escalate the action dangerously. They would be far better using their efforts to seek a solution rather than alienating their staff and the public”.

The 3% pay offer is less than the rest of the public sector, much less than the private sector and less than half of the Civil Service offer. Local Government workers have had pay rises below inflation for six out of the last seven years.
ENDS

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Edinburgh Gritters to strike after Council uses strong-arm tactics

For the first time in UNISON's four month fight for fair pay, Edinburgh's gritters will be on strike on 16 November. This follows the Council's decision to use agency staff to try to break the selective strike in the City Development Department's planning section.

But Striking UNISON members will respond to any major flood emergency.

"This is the first time we have ever removed emergency cover. But we simply cannot supply volunteers in one area when our members are being attacked in another. Edinburgh is the only council in Scotland to bring in agency strike-breakers", said John Stevenson, Edinburgh UNISON vice chair.

"We have already exempted staff who would provide emergency centres and our members will turn out if a major flood is imminent. We are approaching this responsibly despite the immense provocation from management. They have put their desperation to break the strike before public safety", said John Stevenson, Edinburgh UNISON vice chair.

"We have warned the Council over and over again that strong-arm tactics would lead to a problem with life and limb cover. We have sustained that cover in every dispute for nearly 20 years. It is a sad day indeed that we have been forced into this", he added.

Wattie Weir, steward for the City Development gritter staff said, "The men are furious. They will not in all conscience go out on emergency cover when management is breaking the strike in the very same Department".

"After UNISON pleas for the Council to change its mind fell on deaf ears, the union has now blocked all exemptions in City Development until further notice".

The gritter service involves about 20 vehicles with up to 50 staff depending on the weather.

"This gives the lie to the Council's claim that the strike is having no effect. Clearly it is biting hard if it is forcing the Council into considering such desperate action", added Dougie Black, Edinburgh Branch Secretary and national negotiator.

"The Council seems hell bent on escalating the action. If it would put as much effort into seeking a solution with fair pay for council workers, we would not be in this position".

ENDS

Further information:

John Stevenson 07880 563 178, 0131 220 5655

Home Page | Top Index | UNISONNews

 

10 November 2000

Council draws back on suspensions

The City of Edinburgh Council has drawn back from forcing more local government staff out on strike to join the 76 UNISON members already out in the city since 1 November.

Five staff in the Council's City Development Department were about to be instructed to cover the work of exisiting strikers who normally deal with planning applications. If they refused and were to be sent home without pay. Now the Council has postponed a decision until Monday 13 November.

"We would have had no alternative but to bring these members out on strike", said John Stevenson, UNISON Edinburgh Branch spokesperson. "Now we are urging the Council to make a clear decision and not leave our members worrying over the weekend".

"This gives the lies to the Council's claim that the strike is having no effect. Clearly it is biting hard if it is forcing the Council into considering such desperate action.

"All it would succeed in doing is creating more disruption. If members are to be pressurised in this way in one area, it is bound to affect the volunteers we send in to cover emergencies in other areas", he added.

John Mulgrew, UNISON Edinburgh service conditions co-ordinator warned,

"The Council will get nowhere with these macho tactics, particularly evident in this Department for some time. It would only further escalate the disruption. We call on the Council again to use its influence on CoSLA to get down to serious talks to resolve this dispute. Our pay rise was due last April and the Councils have draggd their feet since, creating enormous ill-feeling amongst staff, and unnecessary disruption.

ENDS

Further information:

John Stevenson 07880 563 178, 0131 220 5655
John Mulgrew 0131 220 5655

Home Page | Top Index | UNISONNews

1 November 2000

Edinburgh council workers start selective strikes

Seventy-six Edinburgh Council staff came out on indefinite strike today as the pay dispute with Scottish Councils goes into its fourth month. The action by members of UNISON, the main union for Edinburgh Council staff, is designed to try to get CoSLA round the table to improve the 3% pay offer for 2000 which was rejected by 83% of those voting in the Edinburgh ballot.

Dougie Black, UNISON Edinburgh branch secretary and national negotiator said,

"The employers must take notice of their staff's strength of feeling. They have underestimated it all along and it is now time to come forward with a decent offer. As Scotland's capital, Edinburgh should be playing a key role in CoSLA. We urge councillors to play that role and exert pressure to come up with a better and fairer deal to avoid further disruption and to keep faith with their staff".

John Stevenson, Edinburgh Branch Vice Chair, warned the employers against escalating the action.

“We welcome statements from Edinburgh councillors that strikers will not be victimised, but we have already encountered management instructing other staff to take on extra jobs to cover for strikers. This can only lead to more strife. Instead of working away at wheezes to get round the action, the people of Edinburgh will expect the Council to put their efforts into seeking a sensible resolution to the dispute.

“Of course the Council has to try to deliver services. The best way to do this is with fair treatment of the staff who deliver these services day in day out. The employers accept our members have fallen behind on pay over the years but the new offer (only 0.5% more).....

“Staff are angry at the employers lack of understanding and their refusal to get into meaningful negotiations. The time to talk is now, before the disruption bites. They can afford a better deal and our members deserve it”, added Mr Stevenson.

The staff on indefinite strike in the first phase starting 1 November are......

Cash Collection Staff, Finance Dept.
Affecting receipt of payments like Council tax and major financial transactions amounting often to over £10million
Corporate Secretarial Services, City Development Directorate
Could create crisis in management and delivery of planning, transportation, building control and economic development.
Planning Reception
Will impact on planning applications and major building developments and hit Council income.
Front Counter/Plan Store, Property Management
Planning, Building Control and archive searches of building layouts will be disrupted. Developers and Builders will be hit, putting pressure on the Council. Loss of Council income.
Building Support Staff, Council HQ
Will disrupt a range of work across the council and affect public access to buildings.
Building Support Staff, City Chambers
Council meetings could be affected. Loss of income from lets.
Licensing Section, Legal Services
Will disrupt all licensing applications, eg liquor, entertainment, street trading and taxis.
District Court Admin Staff
Will affect collection of fines including road traffic penalties. Loss of income to Council.
Security Staff, Chesser House
Will affect services at Benefits Office, Trading Standards, Environmental Health, Valuation and Assessor.

Further staff have been identified for a potential second phase of indefinite action.

ENDS

Home Page | Top Index | UNISONNews

 

Date: 31 October 2000

Selective strikes start in local council pay dispute

76 Edinburgh workers will join over 600 key local government staff across nineteen Scottish local councils begin indefinite strike action on Wednesday 1 November, as the pay dispute between UNISON and Scottish Councils goes into its fourth month.

The action by members of UNISON, the main local government union is designed to disrupt the work of councils and persuade them to put pressure on the leadership of CoSLA to improve the 3% offer for 2000 that was rejected by council staff.

This new move in the dispute comes after UNISON members rejected the new offer from CoSLA by 68% to 32%.
Joe Di Paola says

"This shows that staff know that the new offer involved no new money, did nothing for the lower paid and locked them into a two-year deal. That's why they are angry about the way they are being treated. We call upon Scottish Councils to get their CoSLA representatives back round the negotiating table. Scottish local government staff deserve a fair pay rise."

Areas on strike have been chosen to exert maximum effect on the councils with minimum direct effect on the public. In Edinburgh, the areas on strike will announce on this site on 1 November 2000.
ENDS

See UNISONScotland Press Releases

Home Page | Top Index | UNISONNews

23 October 2000

UNISON action to escalate as 68% reject pay offer

UNISON members across Scotland today rejected a revised pay offer from the local government employers and will now step up their action. Edinburgh members had already delivered an 83% rejection (see below) of the offer and it was clear that this pattern would follow around the country.

The new offer meant an increase of half a per cent on the previous one, with a further 3.1% promised for next year. UNISON suspended its industrial action to consult its members and today announced that its Scottish Local Government members had resoundingly rejected the offer. In the consultation exercise 23,423 (68% of those voting) voted to reject the offer and 11,212 (32%) voted to accept.

Joe Di Paola, UNISON's Scottish Organiser for Local Government, said

"UNISON members are angry and frustrated. The new offer shows no evidence of new money being used, does nothing for the lower paid, and goes no way to compensate for previous below-inflation pay awards. The idea of being locked into a two year deal was also rejected as a hostage to fortune. We would hope that Scottish Councils will take note of the huge majority of their staff who have voted for rejection of this offer and will, even at this late stage, look at using some of the money they have for next year to give their staff a fair pay deal this year."

John Stevenson, City of Edinburgh UNISON vice chair added, "The employers must take notice of their staff's strength of feeling. They have underestimated it all along and it is now time to come forward with a decent offer.

"As Scotland's capital, Edinburgh should be playing a key role in CoSLA. We urge councillors to play that role and exert pressure to come up with a better and fairer deal to avoid further disruption and to keep faith with their staff".

A meeting of UNISON's Scottish Local Government Branches today (Monday) agreed to resume the campaign of industrial action suspended to allow the consultation. Joe Di Paola said

"Our members have no alternative now, but to reinstate the action by calling out on indefinite strike small groups of key members, moving the disruption into the heart of Scottish Councils. This action will also be supplemented by a further one-day strike of all local government members."

The selective action will involve indefinite strikes by key groups of council staff like financial workers who collect debts for councils, legal and administrative workers, mail room and security staff, committee clerks, telephonists and computer staff, people whose absence will have a major impact on council running.

ENDS

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20 October 2000

Edinburgh UNISON members reject pay offer in landslide vote

Councillors urged to put pressure on CoSLA for a deal

City of Edinburgh Council UNISON members have rejected the employers latest national pay offer by four to one in a branch wide ballot. The branch’s views will now go to a meeting of all Scottish branches next week. If other branches vote the same way, the suspended programme of strike action will start again.

The ballot result was 4,000 (80%) to reject with only 1,000 (20%) to accept, on a 60% return.

“The employers made much of the low turnout in the original ballot but they cannot ignore this massive rejection of an offer that means only 0.5% more this year. Their approach to this dispute and their miserly offers have only served to harden our members attitudes”, said John Stevenson, Edinburgh UNISON spokesperson.

“The 6.11% two year offer means only 3.015% this year and just over 3% next year. All the employers have offered this year is what they've saved due to our strikes. There is no evidence that money is being brought forward from next year, and so there is no need to leap into the uncertainty of a two-year deal.

"There is nothing in it for the low paid - our claim included a flat rate and a minimum hourly rate - and some will even be worse off through losing welfare benefits.

"Our members are angry that the complicated two-year deal has been dressed up to look like more than it is. They are not going to commit themselves to no further increase before April 2002"

"After years of falling behind on pay, Local Government staff deserve more and the employers can afford more.

"As Scotland's capital, Edinburgh should be playing a key role in CoSLA. We urge councillors to play that role and exert pressure to come up with a better and fairer deal to avoid further disruption and to keep faith with their staff".

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22 August 2000

UNISON warns strike may close schools

Edinburgh UNISON is warning the City of Edinburgh Council and parents that schools will be seriously affected and could face closure on 29 August as a result of strike action.

“UNISON wants to make it clear that we have given plenty of notice of this action to the council. We do not want any child turning up to school to find it unexepctedly closed. Parents must assume that most schools will be affected”, said John Stevenson, Edinburgh UNISON vice-chair.

UNISON members provide the whole infrastructure for schools. Janitors, clerical staff, auxialiaries, school meals staff, cleaners and crossing guides are all members of UNISON.

“With so many UNISON members crucial to the running of schools, we would have expected the council to take steps to close them to be on the safe side. However, in case they don’t, we have exempted crossing guides as a safety measure”, added Mr Stevenson.

“The last time there was industrial action, we were concerned that people covering for janitors did not follow the proper safety procedures in some instances. This meant, for example, that all exit doors were not always unlocked”, added George Lee, Edinburgh UNISON manual workers convenor.

The strike is the first in a rolling programme to try to get the employers round the table after their final offer of 2.5% in this years pay talks.

“The offer is an insult. It is less than inflation forecasts, only half the going rate in the economy, less than the English local government settlement, and less than elsewhere in the public sector. It would mean that for six of the last seven years, local government workers would get a rise less than inflation - effectively a pay cut”, said John Stevenson.

The union’s Scottish claim is for 5% or £500 (whichever is the greater) and a £5 minimum hourly rate.

ENDS

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‘Pay insult’ angers Edinburgh council workers
Offer of half the going rate means staff can get more working for McDonalds

“A McDonald’s hamburger worker can earn £1.20 an hour more than an auxiliary helping children with special needs in Edinburgh’s schools”, a meeting of Edinburgh UNISON shop stewards heard today as they geared up for the first day of strike in the union’s pay campaign.

John Stevenson, Edinburgh UNISON vice-chair, branded the Scottish Local Government Pay Offer an “insult to staff who have bent over backwards to keep the council running through reorganisation after reorganisation”.

“Our members have been left with no choice. They do not want to strike but what can they do when they are offered 2.5%, half the average settlement this year in the public and private sectors?”, he added.

The first council pay strike for 11 years will start with plans for a one day stoppage by all staff on 29 August, followed by all staff striking for a further two days and three days. It will also be backed up by indefinite strike of selected groups of staff.

“For five out of the last six years we have had pay cuts with settlements falling below inflation. This year the offer is over 2% lower than the top independent projected inflation figure. Scottish council staff are being paid on average £17.50 a week less than their English counterpart. This offer was never a serious attempt to address pay, it was an attempt to rub council staff’s noses in the dirt”, said Mr Stevenson.

ENDS

1999 figures: Edinburgh School Auxiliary approx £4.70 per hour. McDonalds Catering Asst. £5.90ph (top) Tesco Cleaner £4.72 - £5.74ph Source: Incomes Data Services, Sept 1999

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Date: 21 June 2000

Strike ballot called as local government pay talks collapse

Talks to agree a pay increase for 250,000 Scottish local government workers ended in deadlock today (Wednesday 21 June 2000) and UNISON, Scotland's largest local government union moved towards an industrial action ballot. Unions -including UNISON, GMB and the T&GWU - representing staff in Scotland's 32 local authorities rejected an employers offer of 2.5%. The employers refused to increase the offer.

Joe Di Paola, UNISON's Scottish Organiser for Local Government and Trade Union Side Secretary said
"This miserly offer was emphatically rejected in the extensive consultations that we carried out amongst the UNISON membership across Scotland. It doesn't go any way towards dealing with low pay in local government and doesn't even match the offer made by English councils."

Unless there is a breakthrough in the talks, UNISON will begin the process leading to a ballot of its 90,000 members in Scotland's local councils on industrial action. This would cause major disruption to local services like environmental health and cleansing services, social work and other care services, educational, leisure and cultural provision and many others.

Jane Carolan, Chair of the Scottish trade union negotiators, said
"Whilst we agree that employers have had no funding for pay increases for seven years now - our members feel that they shouldn't be penalised. We want Scottish local government to be properly funded, and in particular those who provide the services should be properly paid."

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March for Equality and Diversity - Saturday 24 June 2000

You are invited to join a March for Equality and Diversity in Edinburgh on Saturday 24 June 2000. This is being organised by the STUC and Scrap the Section - the Scottish campaign to repeal section 28.

It is being timed to coincide with the repeal of section 28 by the Scottish Parliament and is aimed at promoting the principles of equality and diversity in Scotland today.

Assemble at 12.30pm on Saturday 24 June 2000 in East Market Street (beside Waverley Station). Depart at 1.00pm. March along Princes Street and up The Mound past the Scottish Parliament.

The march will be an opportunity to reject the attempt by Brian Souter's Keep the Clause campaign to use chequebook democracy and impose a narrow view of traditional family values. It provides an opportunity for the real mainstream majority to be heard who want to build a modern Scotland on the foundations of respect for diversity. It is also hoped there will be contingents on the march from Refugees Welcome Here and Glasgow Rape Crisis Centre.

The march is supported by the following trade unions: AUT, EIS, GMB, MSF, TGWU and UNISON. And invited to take part are children's and parents organisations, youth and student groups, church groups, COSLA, women's organisations, equalities groups, arts organisations and many more.

Bring yourself, your friends and your family and support equality and
diversity.

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UNISON calls on Edinburgh to save childrens project

Click here for the full submission to council.

UNISON’s Edinburgh branch has called on the City of Edinburgh Council to delay their shock decision to close Craigmillar Childrens Project until the full results on “Working Together” reviews are examined.

UNISON’s John Ross will ask the council to think again a submission to the council’s Social Work Committee on Tuesday 14 March at 10am. Deputations of parents and staff will also lobby the committee.

“There has been no consultation with staff or service users and are still waiting for the results of two reviews into provision in the area”, said John Ross, Edinburgh UNISON Service Conditions Convener.

“Our members are not resistant to change. Like the council, they want “Joined Up Working” and they are commited to the Scottish Executive’s social inclusion policies. But If this project closes now, the council will have nullified all the detailed work that has been done to look at integrating services in the area”, added Mr Ross.

“This is a valuable project that has been supporting children in their local schools, and in their local communities for 12 years. The alternative could mean some children going away to residential schools”, added John Stevenson, branch vice chairperson.

In a detailed submission, UNISON makes the following points:-

1. There are two ongoing reviews of provision in the area, both of which involve the project's role. One is about to report on ‘Working Together' in Craigmillar. The other in which the Community Education Strategy Group has commissioned a consultant, is considering the possibility of merger of the project with another in the area. Closure at this stage will undermine these reviews and the strategy for services to children and families. It would also pre-empt and in reality nullify the detailed work carried out to date.

2. Lack of consultation, implications for other staff/services. There has been no consultation with staff, service users or the community. There are implications not just for staff in the project, but also for other social work staff in the area who could face increased pressures and workload without this resource.

3. Closure at this stage would undermine the council's concept of ‘Joined-Up Working" and the Scottish Executive's aim of promoting "Social Inclusion". The strength of provision in the area is the contribution of all of the existing resources and how they integrate. The reviews are attempting to address this. The project is not resistant to change and welcomes proper and evidenced examination of its role.

4. The ‘alternative provision' mentioned in budget documents has not been identified. The current project is cost effective. If it only prevents two children having to go to residential school (each placement costs approx £60,000), it would more than recoup the cost of continued Social Work Department funding.

NOTE: The project was the first in Edinburgh to work with primary school age children in schools. It supports children with difficulties and works with them and their families to keep them in their local community and at their local schools. The project employs five social work staff and four teachers. The social work staff look set to be transferred to to other posts.

ENDS

Further Information. John Ross 0131 220 5655, John Stevenson 0131 343 1991

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