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6 March 2001

9 February 2001

7 February 2001

4 February 2001
New pay offer will go out to ballot of all members. The 32 local government branches will consult over the next week and decide on 9 February whether to recommend acceptance or rejection. The offer is outlined below and in more detail on the Hot News page with an outline of example wage rates.

This is a brief summary of the offer.

  • Average increase 2000/2004 = 14.1% (16.37% lower paid to 11.29% higher paid)
  • 2000/1 - 2001/2 up from 6.1% to 6.5% by bringing forward 2002 settlement date to March
  • £500 flat rate 1 March 2002 - brings landmark min wage to £5.03
  • 4% 1 April 2003
  • First ever inflation proofing with talks re-opened if inflation comes within 0.25% of settlements

Click here to record your view online

30 January 2001

Report on Pay talks due to finish on 31 January is expected to be given to Forum of the 32 Branches on Friday 2 February. Branch bulletin will follow immediately afterwards.

09 January 2001

Special UNISON News explains talks protocol

06 January 2001

Strikes bring 'significant breakthrough' as action to be suspended to allow new talks: Scotlands 32 branch forum, meeting yesterday, decided to suspend selective strikes from 15 January to 31 January to allow new talks with the employers in that tight timescale. The union had always said there was no point in talks if there was nothing new. But a protocol, won by members' industrial action, brings a 'significant breakthrough' to allow real negotiations. These include:

  • possible improvements for the lower paid and commitment to achieve £5 min rate
  • possibility of increasing the offer
  • talks on inflation-proofing and tapping into government's longer term funding for councils - something not achieved in the last seven years.
  • opportunity for further negotiations

Even before the talks start there are improvements in the employers' position. With that and the 'significant breakthrough' in key areas like low pay, the Forum felt that these negotiations had to be given a chance to keep faith with members - especially since a key aim of the action was to get the employers into real negotiations.

However, if there is no progress in the two weeks, the selective strikes will re-commence along with escalation plans.... Check back here for further details.

 

1 November 2000

Edinburgh council workers join nationwide 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).....

  • shows no evidence of new money being used, contrary to CoSLA claims
  • does nothing for the lower paid,
  • goes no way to compensate for previous below-inflation pay awards.

"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

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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

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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.

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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 almost five 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 3,457 (83%) to reject with only 693 (9.1%) to accept, on a 55% 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".

See also 10 reasons why you should reject the offer

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Call to reject offer as action suspended to consult

UNISON leaders are recommending rejection of the employers' new 'final' two-year offer which adds just half a per cent this year.

Strike action planned for 11 October and selective action due to start this week are suspended until members are consulted.

Reps from Scotland's 32 local government branches voted narrowly on 2 October go out to consultation rather than outright rejection.

The offer is 6.11% over two years paid thus: (click here for an example)

  • 3% from 1 October this year on current rates.
  • only 2% backdated to 1 April when it was due
  • 3% from 1 Feb 2001
  • no further increase before 1 April 2002 (the employers say this equals 3.015% this year and 3.09% next year)

What's wrong with it?

  • The employers argue for a two-year deal to pull in money from next year's increased funding announced by the Scottish Executive.
  • BUT 3% this year does not pull in this money. Savings from interest on the pay rise due on 1 April etc. would already allow this offer without a two year deal. - They can afford more.
  • A two-year deal gambles on wage trends and cost of living next year. That might be worth it if there was a decent rise this year, but there isn't.
  • There is no weighting for the lower paid, no minimum hourly rate and the offer comes nowhere near the claim.

UNISON is ready to talk more. Negotiators wants councils to open their books and look at the real money available.

"The employers have missed a golden opportunity to settle our fair claim sensibly", said Douglas Black, a lead negotiator and UNISON Edinburgh Branch Secretary.

"We are asking members to reject this offer and urging the employers to get back round the table to look at the real figures and negotiate a fair deal".

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The offer explained (we hope)

The offer means that members will receive 3.015% more from April 2000 to March 2001 than they did in the same period in 1999/2000. That is just over half a per cent more than the first 2.5% offer.

The calculation problems come in the staging of the offer. We'll try to make this as clear as possible but it ain't easy.

  • 2% on CURRENT salary payable from 1 April 2000
  • Plus 1% on CURRENT salary (ie the salary at 31 March 2000) from 1 October 2000
  • 3% from 1 February 2001 on the salary at 1 October 2000
  • No further increase before April 2002.

Take an example on a salary of £12,000 (figures rounded).....

 31 March 2000  £12,000
 1 April 2000:  12,000+2% = £12,240
 1 October 2000: 1 % of 12,000 (ie120) + 12.240 = £12,360
 1 February 2001:  12,360 + 3% = £12,730.8
 1 April 2002  Next Pay settlement

 

 

 

But the person would only actually be paid......

01/04/2000 - 31/09/2000 = 6,120
01/10/2000 - 31/01/2001 = 4,120
01/02/2000 - 01/04/2001 = 2,121.80
Total for year = 12,360.80, ie an increase of 3.015% for the year 2000

The figure of 3.09% for 2001/2002 is arrived at by comparing the actual salary received from April 2000 - March 2001 (£12,360.8) with the £12,730.8 the person would be on at 1 April 2001.

Our argument is that no money from McConnell's extra funding for 2001 has actually been pulled in. The councils have already saved between 0.55% and 0.75% of the annual paybill due to the two strike days . On top of this they have gained significant interest payments on the 2.5% they haven't paid out since 1 April. Even if you do not add the interest windfall, the employers can afford between 3.05% and 3.25% from this year's funding alone. So therefore, no new monies are contained in an
offer of 3.015% for the first 12 months.

Consultation: The meeting on 2 October was the first time the 32 branches had seen the offer. Half wanted to reject outright because it was not a significant offer and just over half (delegate votes were 31-30) felt members had a right to be consulted on it, albeit with a recommendation to reject. The offer itself came with a condition that action would be suspended or the offer would be withdrawn.

Shortly, the 32 branches will meet again to pool the results of consultations in branches and decide on the way forward.

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Strike Day 20 September: 5,000 attended March and Rally in Edinburgh

Strike Day 20 September: 5,000 attended March and Rally in Edinburgh and over 1,000 in Aberdeen as 70,000 were on strike across Scotland. Bill Spiers STUC general secretary pledged support and argued for fair pay for the people who deliver public services. UNISON Scottish Secretary Matt Smith demanded an offer from CoSLA before things escalated. Leading negotiator and Edinburgh Branch Secretary Douglas Black warned that if there was no progress from the employers, selective action would start with another Scotland-wide day of action on 11 October.

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Budget boost for public services

"McConnell's statement puts pressure on COSLA to improve local governmentpay offer" says Matt Smith

Responding to Jack McConnell's spending statement to Parliament today (Wednesday) Matt Smith, UNISON's Scottish Secretary said,

"There is much to welcome in Jack McConnell's Budget statement. The additional resources to local government, health and education are long overdue. UNISON has been campaigning for 20 years for significant real increases in spending on Scotland's public services and we are pleased these are now to be delivered.

"We particularly welcome the announcement that pay awards will form part of the settlement for local government. This is the first statement of this kind by any Minister in the UK for seven years.

"The Finance Minister's statement means the pressure is now mounting on COSLA to increase their derisory 2.5% pay offer for this year. We asked the Scottish Executive to act and they have acted. The spotlight is now firmly on COSLA to make an improved offer and settle this pay dispute before it escalates further.

"While welcoming the increased investment in capital projects we have concerns about the use of Public Private Partnerships which we do not accept represents value for money for Scotland's taxpayers.

"We require now to meet the Minister to discuss the detail to determine what this means for our members and the services they provide."

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