UNISON will be balloting branch members working in school cleaning, school catering, school janitorial as well as those working in waste and recycling services from 1st September.
We are calling for a YES vote for strike action and are asking these members to take fully supported action on behalf of the whole membership. This strategy will be replicated across the whole of Scotland.
If you are a UNISON council member please Join us at our virtual pay rally, to support your colleagues who are being balloted for action and to hear more about COSLA’s pay offer and why we’re keeping up the fight for fair pay for Scottish council workers. The rally will be addressed by UNISON General Secretary Christina McAnea.
Please sign up HERE
How did we get here?
UNISON’s Scottish Local Government Committee met on 19th August to consider the derisory revised offer from COSLA.
Inez Kirk, branch secretary and vice chair of the Scottish Local Government Committee said, “The committee decided to reject the derisory additional 3p per hour (before tax) for those earning below £25k and move straight to a ballot for strike action.
“This revised offer was an attempt by the Employers to circumvent our members’ extraordinary response during the COVID 19 pandemic.
“The Scottish Government and COSLA may not think that our members are worth more, however we, the biggest trade union, believe that you have all gone above and beyond your contract of employment by working differently andhelping to save many lives in our community.”
UNISON will now ballot members employed in facility management (schools) and waste & recycling and these members will be fully supported in taking this action on behalf of the whole membership.
Kate Ramsden, branch co-chair added, “UNISON is the only union to REJECT the Employers’ pay offer and to move to ballot for strike action. Most of our members got NO £500 Covid Reward; NO £6 per week allowed allowance for home workers; and we have suffered years of pay freezes and below inflation pay rises.
“Our colleagues in the NHS rightly had a pay rise of 4% rising to nearly 6% for the lowest paid in health. They stepped up during the pandemic to keep services afloat, but so did our members in local government.
“It’s beyond time to recognise the contribution they have made and continue to make, day on day.
“UNISON says ‘enough is enough.’ Time to pay our members the decent pay rise they deserve.”
Keep up to date at the UNISON the union – fighting for Scottish Council Workers Facebook page.