| UNISON City of Edinburgh Branch |
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6 December 2001 Janitors consider ACAS approach despite council provocation UNISON's Edinburgh Branch is considering an approach by Arbitration and Conciliation Service (ACAS) for conciliation in the Janitors' dispute, but the branch has slammed Council statements which the union says were 'designed to mislead the public'. "The Council claimed in the press that it had not received a response from UNISON, when it knew well that neither the Council nor ACAS had yet approached UNISON with the proposal", said UNISON Branch Secretary John Stevenson. "This has angered Janitors and was hardly the kind of move which would help resolve the dispute. This dispute will be resolved by serious talks, not cheap media tricks". "If the Council is really serious about conciliation, why did it not agree to our approach months ago? Why did it not agree to this before the strike, and why are they only suggesting this halfway into the strikes? These are the questions that have made janitors deeply suspicious of the Council's motives", added Mr Stevenson. "Nevertheless, we need to let ACAS do its job. We are prepared to talk without conditions. We have already been talking with ACAS throughout today and will continue to do so. We are hopeful that something can be achieved in the four days remaining before further strike action. We are serious about talks, we hope the Council is too". ENDS Further Information |
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