UNISON Scotland 2010 PAY CLAIM
Update Feb 2010
Union fury at slap in face for low
paid
At a meeting on 24th Feb 2010, the pay claim submitted by the
Joint Trade Unions on behalf of members in Local Government, was
simply dismissed by the employers' organisation, CoSLA, without
any negotiations.
The claim is for a one-year rise of 3% or £600 (whichever
is the greater) with a significant underpinning for the low paid
– including a claim for all workers to be paid a living wage of
at least £7.00 per hour.
Unions representing around 150,000 Scottish Council staff, reacted
with anger at the employers' high-handed dismissal of their pay
claim.
 |
| Dougie Black |
Dougie Black, UNISON Regional Organiser, and Lead Negotiator
said. “Despite the fact that CoSLA have already agreed to pay
teaching staff 2.4% and their senior managers 2.5% this year,
as part of multi-year deals, it appears that the value that they
put on the main group of staff who deliver their services is nothing.
These staff include the lowest paid in Scottish Local Government.
For them it is a slap in the face.”
The unions are also angry that the employers chose not to address
the detail of the trade unions’ claim but simply dismissed it
in its entirety.
Dougie said “Just as the rejection of our claim shows how little
councils value their staff, the brusque and dismissive treatment
of the negotiators is further proof of the lack of understanding
that these employers have. It is similar to the treatment that
lords offered to their serfs.”
Despite many authorities, including our own, making provision
for pay for council staff this year they now appear to want to
backtrack on this and leave our members high and dry.
Further talks have been offered by the employers, and the unions
will now consult with their branches and consider if there is
any likelihood of serious negotiations.
top
Update Nov 2009
Joint unions submit pay claim for next
year and call for fair treatment for low paid council staff
UNISON and the other unions representing Scottish local council
workers, submitted our claim for an annual pay rise at the annual
meeting of the negotiating body, The Scottish Joint Council in
Edinburgh, on 25th November.
This claim is for the period starting in April 2010. when the
current agreement ceases. The claim is for a one-year rise
of 3% or £600 (whichever is the greater) with a significant underpinning
for the low paid – including a claim for all workers to be paid
a living wage of at least £7.00 per hour.
UNISON Regional Officer and lead negotiator, Dougie Black, said
“This claim is simply an attempt by our members, who include the
lowest paid of Scotland’s council workers, to maintain their standard
of living in the teeth of what is predicted to be increasing inflationary
pressures.
"The RPI is forecast to steadily rise to 2.6% in the 1st
quarter of 2010 before reaching 3.1% in the second quarter of
2010, and we have already experienced the fact that increases
in inflation – especially in basic necessities like food and fuel
– impact particularly hard on low-paid members.
UNISON calls for low-paid staff to be treated fairly.
 |
| Stephanie Herd |
Stephanie Herd – Chair of UNISON’s Local Government Group said
“Local councils have already agreed to pay their chief officials
2.5% over this period, and teaching staff 2.4%. It would be invidious
if our political leaders now try to make the lowest paid staff
pay for the economic crisis. Bankers and fat cats in the city
get help – it is time for hard-pressed public service workers
to get that help.”
"Our members in Scotland’s local councils have already delivered
around £200 m worth of efficiency savings with a loss of around
7,000 jobs. It is only fair that councils should share these efficiency
savings with staff as well as with council tax payers.”
top
Update Sept 2009
UNISON determines pay claim
Following an extensive review of the 2009 pay campaign and consultation
with all relevant branches, the Scottish Local Government Conference
agreed at its meeting in Sept 2009 that the 2010 pay claim should
take account of the following:
1. The claim should only cover the period 1st April 2010 to 31
March 2011.
2. The claim should seek a percentage increase of 3%.
3. In making this claim UNISON should also consider weighting
such a claim to favour lower paid members.
4. The claim should also contain a recommended minimum wage claim
of £7.45 per hour in line with the supporting evidence submitted
to the Low Pay Commission.
5. There was no clear indicator or majority view on any terms
and conditions that should be included in the claim therefore
for the period of this claim no terms and conditions should be
included.
6. The claim should also seek a statement from the employers
that any salary increase should also be applied to Community and
Voluntary Sector organisations, where Local Authorities fund staffing
costs.
This claim has since been issued to the other trade unions
for comment and consultation with a view to agreeing a joint claim
for submission to our employers in November 2009.
top
|
