Scotland – Union Newswire

Scottish Water staff to strike for four days in November

UNISON sent notices to Scottish Water this week, to inform it that members will be taking strike action for four days starting on 10 November.

The strikes come after UNISON members at Scottish Water voted overwhelmingly (78%) for action over a pay and grading dispute earlier this month.

The dispute comes after Scottish Water proposed changes to employment contracts without properly engaging with unions, causing anger amongst staff. The union says the proposals will cause years of wrangling over pay grades and push the lowest paid onto even lower wages and cause significant problems around equality legislation.

UNISON has also written to the cabinet secretary with responsibility for Scottish Water, Màiri McAllan MSP, to ask her to intervene, in a last effort to avert industrial action.

The union says that the four-day strike, from 10 to 13 November, will have serious implications for water and sewage services – emergency repairs will not be done, water quality checks will not take place and, if the public report problems with their water supply, sewage or drainage, they will not be dealt with while staff are on strike.

Branch secretary for UNISON Scottish Water branch, Patricia McArthur said: “I am dismayed it has come to this. Scottish Water managers are imposing a new pay structure with no involvement from staff, which is not acceptable. It is storing up problems for the future.

“Scottish Water is a public utility and supposed to be the jewel in our public services. Yet staff are being treated worse than if we worked for one of the private water companies down south.”

UNISON regional organiser Emma Phillips said: “Industrial relations in Scottish Water are at rock bottom. Scottish Water staff know sewage when they see it and have strongly rejected their employers slap dash proposals.

“However, Scottish Water are insisting they are still going to implement the changes to employment contracts and pay structures.

“We have written to the Scottish government asking the cabinet secretary to – at very least – talk to unions to explore if we [can] get meaningful talks started. We have stressed to her that Scottish Water are ripping up the government’s fair work and equality guidance.

“If the Scottish government don’t intervene, then they have been warned that they are storing up problems over pay structures and future equal pay, and strikes will go ahead. Re-grading has to be done properly with the full involvement of staff and unions.”

The article Scottish Water staff to strike for four days in November first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Scottish Water staff to strike for four days in November

UNISON sent notices to Scottish Water this week, to inform it that members will be taking strike action for four days starting on 10 November.

The strikes come after UNISON members at Scottish Water voted overwhelmingly (78%) for action over a pay and grading dispute earlier this month.

UNISON has also written to the cabinet secretary with responsibility for Scottish Water, Màiri McAllan MSP, to ask her to intervene, in a last effort to avert industrial action.

“Scottish Water is a public utility and supposed to be the jewel in our public services. Yet staff are being treated worse than if we worked for one of the private water companies down south.”

“However, Scottish Water are insisting they are still going to implement the changes to employment contracts and pay structures.

The article Scottish Water staff to strike for four days in November first appeared on the UNISON National site.

More Scottish schools to close as UNISON sets further strike dates

UNISON has today served notice of further strike action in the dispute over local government pay, to South Lanarkshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Edinburgh and Fife councils.

Staff working in schools, and early years establishments linked to schools, within those four local authorities will walk out on Wednesday 8 November.

This will be the second week of a rolling programme of action that will take place. UNISON has already notified Glasgow City, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde councils, that staff working in schools, and early years establishments linked to schools in those authorities will be taking strike action on Wednesday 1 November.

Further strike dates involving other councils will be announced in due course.

The action comes after UNISON members voted overwhelmingly to reject Cosla’s latest pay offer. More than 21,000 workers represented by the union took three days of strike action in September, resulting in the closure of 75% of Scotland’s schools.

UNISON Scotland’s head of local government Johanna Baxter said: “Despite our repeated calls for Cosla and the Scottish government to get back round the table for meaningful discussions we have had no invitations to even exploratory talks.

“The union is committed to reaching a resolution to this dispute as soon as possible. And there is still time for Cosla and the Scottish government to get back round the negotiating table to explore every avenue to reaching a negotiated settlement and avoid further disruption for parents and students.

“The strength of feeling amongst UNISON’s 91,000 local government members, who voted overwhelmingly to reject Cosla’s latest pay offer, is clear. They are determined to continue to fight to get an improved pay offer.”

The article More Scottish schools to close as UNISON sets further strike dates first appeared on the UNISON National site.

More Scottish schools to close as UNISON sets further strike dates

UNISON has today served notice of further strike action in the dispute over local government pay, to South Lanarkshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Edinburgh and Fife councils.

Staff working in schools, and early years establishments linked to schools, within those four local authorities will walk out on Wednesday 8 November.

Further strike dates involving other councils will be announced in due course.

The article More Scottish schools to close as UNISON sets further strike dates first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Schools set to close again in Scotland as UNISON announces further strike dates

UNISON has today (Wednesday) served notice of further strikes in its dispute over local government pay at Glasgow City, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde councils.

Staff working in schools, and early years establishments linked to schools, within the four local authorities will walk out on Wednesday 1 November.

This is the first part of a rolling programme of action that will take place over the forthcoming weeks, with further strike dates and other councils being announced in due course, says UNISON.

The move comes after workers represented by the union voted overwhelmingly to reject Cosla’s latest pay offer. More than 21,000 people took three days of strike action in September, resulting in the closure of 75% of Scotland’s schools.

UNISON Scotland’s head of local government Johanna Baxter said: “The strength of feeling amongst UNISON school staff, who voted overwhelmingly to reject Cosla’s latest pay offer, is clear for all to see. Both in terms of ballot votes and the number of people on picket lines across Scotland.

“We’ve also seen a surge in UNISON membership. That’s a testament to the strength of local government workers’ resolve to continue their fight for fair pay.

“The union is committed to resolving this dispute as soon as possible. Cosla and the Scottish Government are urged to get back round the negotiating table to explore every avenue to reach a settlement and avoid further disruption for parents and students.”

UNISON Scotland chair of the local government committee Mark Ferguson said: “No one takes the decision to strike lightly.

“I’m a parent myself, so I understand the disruption strikes cause. But if wages don’t rise, school staff will leave for other jobs beyond education that pay significantly more. That would be a disaster and would help no one.

“The current offer amounts to a real-terms pay cut and adds further stress to a dedicated workforce already suffering from the cost-of-living crisis.

“Cosla and the Scottish government need to give school staff a decent wage rise, fund any increase properly and commit to implementing a pay rate of £15 per hour for all local government workers.”

Notes to editors:
– More than 21,000 UNISON members in 1,868 schools across 24 local authorities in Scotland took strike action in pursuit of an improved pay offer during three days of strike action in September.
– UNISON’s latest letter to Cosla can be read here.
– UNISON is the public services union and Scotland’s largest union in local government representing over 84,000 workers in educational roles in local government.

Media contacts:
Johanna Baxter M: 07817 120894
Stephen Low M: 07956 852822

The article Schools set to close again in Scotland as UNISON announces further strike dates first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Schools set to close again in Scotland as UNISON announces further strike dates

UNISON has today (Wednesday) served notice of further strikes in its dispute over local government pay at Glasgow City, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde councils.

Staff working in schools, and early years establishments linked to schools, within the four local authorities will walk out on Wednesday 1 November.

This is the first part of a rolling programme of action that will take place over the forthcoming weeks, with further strike dates and other councils being announced in due course, says UNISON.

“We’ve also seen a surge in UNISON membership. That’s a testament to the strength of local government workers’ resolve to continue their fight for fair pay.

UNISON Scotland chair of the local government committee Mark Ferguson said: “No one takes the decision to strike lightly.

“The current offer amounts to a real-terms pay cut and adds further stress to a dedicated workforce already suffering from the cost-of-living crisis.

Media contacts:
Johanna Baxter M: 07817 120894
Stephen Low M: 07956 852822

The article Schools set to close again in Scotland as UNISON announces further strike dates first appeared on the UNISON National site.

UNISON votes for further school strikes in Scotland

UNISON, Scotland’s largest local government union, has today (Monday) announced a rolling programme of strike action in schools across the country in the coming weeks.

It comes after UNISON members voted overwhelmingly to reject Cosla’s pay offer, with nine in ten workers (89.92 %) voting against the offer in a consultative ballot.

UNISON will now move to a rolling programme of action in schools, and early years establishments linked to schools, from Shetland to Stranraer. Dates will be announced in the coming days.

UNISON’s Scottish secretary Lilian Macer said: “No one takes industrial action lightly. It’s a very difficult decision for anyone, but as much as this is about pay, it’s also about standing up for local services.

“The school staff taking part in strike action support children in school every day of the year, and many are parents with school-age children too.

“Workers are taking action because they want children to be educated in well-resourced, well-staffed schools. They want to start trying to reverse years of cuts and under-investment in the workforce and services.

“No one wants to cause disruption for pupils and parents, but school staff have been left with no other option. The blame must be laid squarely at the door of Cosla and Scottish ministers. They have it within their gift to end the strike, but they are showing no sign of wanting to do so. That’s a terrible shame for everyone affected.”

Chair of UNISON Scotland’s local government committee Mark Ferguson said: “UNISON’s local government members have voted overwhelmingly to reject this offer, which shows their resolve to fight for the fair pay they deserve.

“I’m a parent myself, so I understand the disruption these strikes cause. But if wages don’t rise, school staff will leave for other jobs beyond education that pay significantly more an hour. That would be a disaster and would help no one.

“The current offer amounts to a real-terms pay cut and adds further stress to a dedicated workforce who are already suffering from the cost-of-living crisis.

“Cosla and the Scottish government need to give school staff a decent pay rise, fund any increase properly and commit to implementing a pay of £15 per hour for all local government workers.”

Notes to editors:
-Iinterview opportunity: Lilian Macer, UNISON’s Scottish Secretary, is attending the SNP conference in Aberdeen and will be available for interview ( stand 23 ). To arrange an interview please contact Stephen Low on 07956 852822.
-UNISON is Scotland’s largest local government union.
-A consultative ballot of all local government workers closed today (Monday) with 89.92 % voting to reject the offer. There was a turnout of 57.27 %.
-UNISON’s local government committee will meet this week to set dates for further strike action across Scotland’s schools.
-UNISON has secured mandates to take strike action in 24 local authority areas, of every size and geographical scale, across Scotland – Aberdeenshire Council, Highland Council, Orkney Islands Council, Shetland Islands Council, The City of Edinburgh Council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Fife Council, South Lanarkshire Council, Aberdeen City Council, Glasgow City Council, Clackmannanshire Council, Moray Council, South Ayrshire Council, Stirling Council, West Dunbartonshire Council, North Ayrshire Council, East Dunbartonshire Council, Dundee City Council, Inverclyde Council, Angus Council, East Renfrewshire Council, Perth & Kinross Council, Dumfries & Galloway Council, and Renfrewshire Council.
-UNISON’s strike mandate covers over 21,000 members covering the full range of school support staff duties, including school cleaners, caterers, janitors and school support assistants. It UNISON’s mandate covers members working in over 1,868 schools across Scotland.

Media contacts:
Johanna Baxter, UNISON Scotland’s head of local government M: 07817 120894
Mark Ferguson, chair of UNISON’s local government committee M: 07773 342570
Stephen Low, UNISON’s policy officer M: 07956 852822 E: s.low2@unison.co.uk

The article UNISON votes for further school strikes in Scotland first appeared on the UNISON National site.

UNISON votes for further school strikes in Scotland

UNISON, Scotland’s largest local government union, has today (Monday) announced a rolling programme of strike action in schools across the country in the coming weeks.

It comes after UNISON members voted overwhelmingly to reject Cosla’s pay offer, with nine in ten workers (89.92 %) voting against the offer in a consultative ballot.

UNISON will now move to a rolling programme of action in schools, and early years establishments linked to schools, from Shetland to Stranraer. Dates will be announced in the coming days.

“The school staff taking part in strike action support children in school every day of the year, and many are parents with school-age children too.

“The current offer amounts to a real-terms pay cut and adds further stress to a dedicated workforce who are already suffering from the cost-of-living crisis.

“Cosla and the Scottish government need to give school staff a decent pay rise, fund any increase properly and commit to implementing a pay of £15 per hour for all local government workers.”

The article UNISON votes for further school strikes in Scotland first appeared on the UNISON National site.

UNISON celebrates International Women’s Day in Glasgow

On Wednesday 8 March, UNISON delegates from across the UK celebrated International Women’s Day in Glasgow.

The day-long event, organised by the Scottish region, included a walking tour of women’s organising and trade union history in Glasgow, a workshop on how to tackle sexual harassment at work and in the union movement and a panel discussion on the achievements of Scottish Black women.

Addressing attendees on the day, UNISON Scottish secretary Tracey Dalling said: “We come together to celebrate each other. We draw breath as we push on in achieving equality and equity not just for ourselves but for the women coming after us.

“Never ever pull up the ladder. As we say in Glasgow, there’s always room for a wee one.”

The evening’s entertainment featured live music from Yvonne Leon (pictured), Soundsational choir, Shaz Martin and Broghan.

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “We all rely on women workers every day, and they carried us all through the pandemic. Their work is often undervalued and underpaid, but UNISON knows the true value.”

UNISON project lead Beth Bickerstaffe said: “The event was designed to celebrate the contributions of UNISON women and women throughout trade union history.

“It’s important that the union movement celebrates and values our women activists and makes sure to invigorate those who are normally on the frontline defending our members.”

UNISON is the largest women’s organisation in the UK, representing over one million members.

The article UNISON celebrates International Women’s Day in Glasgow first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: I urge members to make sure they have their say on pay

UNISON members working for the Environment Agency, together with Scottish health members, are being consulted on their respective pay offers.

If you’re an NHS worker in Scotland, you only have a few days left to have your say on the 5% pay offer. UNISON, along with other health unions, asked for an above inflation pay award, so we’re asking members to reject the pay deal.

For EA members, the consultative ballot that opened this week closes on 2 September. The agency is underfunded, and its workers are undervalued and underpaid.

I’ve said before that poverty is created by political choices – and pay is decided by choices too. Choices are made by the Cabinet Office about how much money the agency gets to protect the environment, support our communities and reward staff.

I urge our EA members to reject the insulting pay offer of 2% plus £345, which follows a 0% rise for most staff in 2021, which itself came after a decade of below inflation pay deals.

Unsurprisingly, workers in both the NHS and the EA are suffering from the cost of living crisis. Wages are thousands of pounds below where they would be now if they’d kept up with inflation over the last decade. Earning enough to live in the present and plan for the future is not a reality for most public service workers.

NHS and EA staff work in very different circumstances, but have the shared aim of protecting people’s health. Their work is interlinked, as a poor environment doesn’t support a healthy population. Losing staff because of poor wages and declining standards of living is a risk to everyone.

Our members are always key to delivering huge public programmes that benefit millions, whether it’s the COVID vaccine roll out, or huge flood defence improvement programmes. Their work is always 24/7.

Squeezing public sector budgets undermines the ability of both the NHS and the agency to protect people, support our communities, and reward staff to make sure experienced and skilled staff are retained.

The government needs to put its money where its mouth is and recognise the value to our society of having well-paid, well-resourced workforces able to deliver every day and ready to deal with crises when they come.

Until they do, we need to keep up the pressure and make sure every member responds to our consultations.

You will have received an email ballot, but if you haven’t, then contact UNISON Direct on 0800 0 857 857.

The article Blog: I urge members to make sure they have their say on pay first appeared on the UNISON National site.