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More council strikes on horizon as workers vote on new offer



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Published Date: 11 October 2008
THE threat of further council strikes looms after union leaders recommended their members to reject the latest pay offer.
Unison plans to ballot all 100,000 of its Scottish council worker members on the pay deal following a union meeting in Glasgow yesterday.

Scotland's councils increased their previous pay offer from 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent, but union bosses say the below-inflation deal is unacceptable.

If the deal is rejected by members, it is likely that more strike action will follow the two one-day strikes already carried out by council workers in recent months.

Unison Regional Officer and lead negotiator, Dougie Black, said: "It is clear our activists do not accept that this offer is good enough. Our members, like others are suffering from the effects of the economic downturn.

"The recent increases in inflation – especially in basic necessities like food and fuel – impact particularly hard on low-paid members and a 3 per cent increase does not deliver the kind of help they need."

The results of the strike poll will be declared in early November.





The full article contains 193 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 11 October 2008 11:04 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Council Insider,

Costa Del Sol 11/10/2008 12:28:49
You won't get me going on strike. I'm not losing a days pay for their 'cause'. I've already lost thousands this week. If this continues I'll need to start selling my overseas properties. Bring back Maggie T to finish off the unions once and for all. Adios.
2

NorT,

Edinburgh 11/10/2008 12:36:09
Do these council workers and their unions live in the real world? They are lucky they still have jobs, do they not read the newspapers.
3

Jingsitsme,

EDINBURGH 11/10/2008 14:45:10
Well Margaret T stood up against the unions and we need that again.

Couldn't agree more with what you say #2.

We are all affected but council workers appear to think they immune and council would never downsize. Sack em if they go on strike again. Most don't work overly hard compared to private sector who are accountable. Plenty unemployed could well do their job.

Perhaps bin men happy to strike for one day then get paid overtime to catch up!!

Council workers if you reading this - GET REAL!!
4

10inchsoft,

11/10/2008 15:36:47
sack them all and give the jobs to people that want to work
5

rs,

in ma house 11/10/2008 15:40:53
cotland's councils increased their previous pay offer from 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent, but union bosses say the below-inflation deal is unacceptable.

so why did they not reject the offer, as they were already saying 2.5% was too low
6

rs,

in ma house 11/10/2008 15:43:31
Most don't work overly hard compared to private sector who are accountable. Plenty unemployed could well do their job.

Yip the Private sector are doing well just now.

The Banks have got us into a fine mess, oops aren't they Private Sector.

And to make you laugh, who does the Private Sector come running too, to BAIL them out.

The PUBLIC TAXPAYER.

They've made millions, sorry BILLIONS, so were is all there money now?



Yip the Public Sector Workers should feel lucky, but are the Private sector any better?
7

Arrow,

edinburgh 11/10/2008 16:31:26
at least you can sack people in the private sector. my wife's firm has just laid off a dozen secretaries and their bosses. in the council you have to be caught sh****g the Chief Executive before you're on your first warning. sympathy for the local government "workers" (there is a minsnomer!)? you'll find it in the dictionary somewhere between Sh*t and syphylis.
8

grahamerskine,

Edinburgh 11/10/2008 18:15:25
I've been a council employee for 25 years and am disappointed to see that the previous comments have inferred that all Council employees are lazy and are just there or an easy, ride-forget it! We are all subject to constant scrutinising ,"Best value","IIP","Charter Mark" and accreditation by appropriate professional bodies. Maybe in the past it was a relatively easy ride but that most definitely does not apply now!
9

GraemeH,

Edinburgh 11/10/2008 18:44:11
#8 - As someone who is facing a 100% pay cut due to redundancy you and your colleagues in the council should think yourself lucky to be in a safe job and still getting any pay rise at all.

Oh, and if inflation falls in a couple of months to 1% will you give your extra pay rise back?
10

The Geniune Mario Antionette,

11/10/2008 20:23:13
If its another Wednesday, then the Unions will be sued for targetting the same households for hardship
11

Pumpkin,

11/10/2008 23:35:01
#10 Wednesdays on strike break up the week into 2 nice easy chunks!
12

paul the binman,

12/10/2008 11:29:34
Ah ha I see,we as tax payers can be expected to see our taxes being used to bail out the private sector,but god help us if we ask for extra cash to bail out our heating bills,food bills or even our own morgages.I wish I has 50,000 in savings or needed a first morgage or had shares in an Icelandic bank.
13

paul the binman,

12/10/2008 11:38:20
Instead of over time to catch up we could do the extra work on the following week for a single rate of pay,wait a minute thats just what we did as usual.
14

rs,

.a good Point - Comment No 12 12/10/2008 14:08:04
Yip as many people have commented on the TV

When it comes to basics like heating & food, the government does nothing to help the PUBLIC.

They could reduce VAT , remember when MAGGIE increased VAT from 15 to 17.5 for the Poll TAX.

So the Higher prices go, the more the GOVERNMENT Rake in in TAXES.

Tough is there attitude, yet when the Private BANKs run in to trouble, caused in the main by themselves,

The Government are running to their AID, with PUBLIC MONEY.

As one Finance Person stated about the High Interest offered, if it sounds too good to be true, then its probably not (or something along those lines)
15

rs,

in ma house 12/10/2008 14:09:14
Comment no 7 .....in the council you have to be caught sh****g the Chief Executive before you're on your first warning.

More likely to get a pay rise or a golden handshake to keep things quiet.

 

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