East Lothian Courier | News | Strike ballot looms for council workers

Tuesday, 6th January, 2009

Published: Thursday, 13th December, 2007 09:30

Strike ballot looms for council workers – COMMENT ON THIS STORY!

THE spectre of strike action is hanging over East Lothian Council after trade union bosses called on the authority’s 4,700-strong workforce to reject its latest attempt to introduce equal pay.

Officials of Unison, Unite (formerly the TGWU) and the GMB will begin issuing consultation forms on industrial action next week after a last-ditch attempt to bring the council back to the negotiating table failed.

They met senior councillors David Berry and Stuart Currie in Haddington on Wednesday to discuss Tuesday’s decision by the council to approve a voluntary sign-up period for a package aimed at delivering a single pay structure across all departments.

The new proposals – which include cutting weekend working payments and moving to a seven-day working week – will be put directly to staff during a two-week period in January. Councillors will assess the response to the voluntary sign-up in February.

The local authority has stressed that it is being forced by law to introduce single status and is acting to protect services as it wants to avoid having to pay out more millions in compensation to workers not getting equal pay.

Wednesday’s meeting at the Town House broke up after just 30 minutes, when it was made clear the council would not be reneging on its decision.

A strike ballot could now be held as early as January.

Union leaders have urged workers not to agree to the deal, which they have described as “one of the worst packages” to be offered to local authority employees in Scotland.

Sandra Kennie, branch secretary of Unison, the council staff trade union, said: “Many of the elements in this new package – like stopping some staff reaching the top of their grades – have not been discussed with the unions.

“Neither has this package been equality impact assessed – which is bizarre as one of the aims of single status is to equality-proof the council’s pay structure.”

The council, in common with other Scottish local authorities, is required by law to introduce single status or incur massive financial penalties. It ended negotiations with the unions in June after 47 unsuccessful attempts to thrash out an agreement on equal pay stretching back to January 2005.

A process of collective consultation was then launched, with 90 days alllowed for agreement to be reached or the latest package would be imposed.

The 90-day collective consultation period means that current staff contracts may have to be terminated and new ones issued, with 12 weeks’ statutory notice.

In a report to Tuesday’s council meeting, acting chief executive, Alex McCrorie, had recommended that if 55 per cent of more of the single status employee group signed up in January, authority should be given for the dismissal and re-engagement of the remainder of the workforce.

An amendment proposed by Mr Currie, the depute council leader, and seconded by Mr Berry, the leader of the SNP/Lib-Dem administration, removed any reference to a minimum mandate target.

It also called for “a report back to the council at its meeting on February 19 on the progress of the voluntary sign-up opportunity as a further means of avoiding the need to consider the dismissal and re-engagement of the affected workforce”.

Labour group members called for further negotiations and warned of an exodus of disillusioned staff if things were not resolved satisfactorily.

Their spokesman, Councillor Norman Hampshire, said: “It is disappointing that negotiations have failed to come to an agreement between the council and the trade unions. It does nothing for the council’s image or for the morale of the staff.

“We believe there are areas of disagreement in which the council and trade unions could be brought closer together.

“We should try to get a negotiated settlement.We want to make sure our workforce stay on board.”

Mr Currie retorted: “In 2008 this council will pay out £2 million in compensation agreements because we don’t have equal pay.

No-one doubts the dedication of our staff. But the reality is that we can’t ignore the law which requires the council to introduce this.

“There is always the potential for industrial action within any dispute, but we have a responsibility to protect services.

“We need to avoid paying out further money in compensation agreements, as that would have a real impact on services.”

Council officials calculate that more than 65 per cent of employees will be better off financially under a single pay structure, while a further 20 per cent will continue to receive their current level of renumeration.

Those unaffected by single status will be chief officials, craft operatives and teachers.

Mr Berry said it was inevitable that some employees would lose out. As he put it: “To make an omelette you have to crack an egg.”

Conservative Group leader, Councillor Ludovic Broun-Lindsay, agreed. He said: “We have a situation where it is not possible to please everyone, but we also have a responsibility to the people of East Lothian who pay council tax.”

Councillor Currie’s amendment was passed by 13 votes to four. A counter motion from Labour to re-open talks was defeated by the same margin.

Depute provost, Councillor Roger Knox, abstained from Tuesday’s voting after declaring an interest as a member of Unison.

The last strike by East Lothian Council employees ocurred in spring 2006, when several thousand took part in a 24-hour walkout over the local government pension scheme.

In the winter of 2003/04, council nursery school teachers went on strike for 13 weeks over pay and grading.

And in November/December 2000, a general strike over pay lasted nearly six weeks.

Comments