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5 September 2000
- September 20 strike and selective action as campaign escalates
- Offer, what offer?
- Strike 'overwhelming success'
- Setting
the record straight on Valuation Board
Strikes to escalate
5 September: National Committee approves escalation after successful strike on 29 August.
Next strike day for all local government staff will be 20 September with a major event in Edinburgh.
This will coincide with stepping up the action by bringing forward the planned selective action: ie longer strikes by selected groups of staff around Scotland. Groups are currently being identified in Edinburgh.
The re-ballot of Valuation Board members is also under way.
"Offer, what offer?"
UNISON, Scotland's biggest trade union representing around 80,000 members working for Scotland's 32 local authorities, dismissed CoSLA's informal offer of a phased increase in pay as "nothing new".
CoSLA's suggestion of a 2% increase from 1st April 2000 and a further 1% from October 2000, still represents an increase of 2.5% in the current financial year. A previous offer of 2.5% has already been rejected by UNISON members.
Joe Di Paola, UNISON's senior local government organiser said:
"This is not an improved offer. It represents 2.5% on this year's pay bill and that has already been rejected by our members as being entirely inadequate in meeting our claim. As always we are willing to talk, but any talks must be on the basis of an improved offer."
"Meanwhile we continue with our campaign and further details will be announced on Wednesday."
Overwhelming success as strike bites
Over 90% of Edinburgh's UNISON members backed the one day strike on 29 August, paralysing the council's services.
The vast majority of members came out, but UNISON exempted 600 staff to operate life and limb services like older people's homes, childrens homes and meals on wheels.
Every service was affected in a day of action that took the employers by surprise.
"The employers and to an extent the local press had been pouring cold water on the strike. The silence of the Evening News on the day after spoke volumes about how far out their predictions were. The success of the action demonstrates the strength of feeling among members about the injustice of this year's pay offer", said Branch Vice Chair John Stevenson.
There were pickets at over 300 workplaces and 200 members attended a short rally outside the city chambers followed by a larger gathering at the Usher Hall.
Decisions on future action will be taken on 31 August.
A special UNISON News magazine will follow with full reports on the strike day.
Setting the record straight
(5 Sept: he re-ballot of Valuation Board members is under way.)
Members may have read the story in the Evening News about the Lothian Valuation Joint Board and the possibility of a legal challenge to the ballot.
This press story has some errors that need to be clarified.
1.UNISON did not accuse the chief executive of being 'mischievous'.
2. UNISON acted on the safe side by re-balloting LVJB members. This was because an individual letter advising of the ballot had not gone to the LVJB management although it had gone to all of the councils that make up the joint board.
3. Nevertheless we were advised that, due to this, the ballot could be open to a 'mischievous' legal challenge by any individual. That could have affected the whole strike, such are the complexities of anti-trade union legislation.
3. At no time has the council or the LVJB raised the issue of any legal challenge
4. The mistake arose at UNISON HQ and was not from within the branch
5. The members in LVJB are understandably angry at not being able to be actively part of the strike at this stage. It is hoped that things can be sorted out by the next stage. In the meantime they deserve the support of the branch and all other members for the predicament they have been put in.