UNISON will ballot 70,000 local government members across every local authority in Scotland on industrial action.
The decision was announced at UNISON’s local government
committee meeting on Monday following a consultative ballot which saw
77.6 per cent vote to reject the employers’ pay offer.
Dougie Black, regional organiser for UNISON Scotland,
said: “Local government workers have suffered years of pay restraint
and their pay is worth far less now than ten years ago. The cost of
food, gas and electricity, travel and childcare continue to rise and,
as a consequence, their living standards have been severely eroded.
This can not continue.
“If pay had even just risen with inflation a home care
worker, for example, would be paid £19,900 a year when instead they
are paid just £16,900; an early years’ worker would receive £24,100
instead of £20,400 and a library assistant would earn £26,400 instead
of £22,400. And that’s just to keep up with the cost of living.
“Fair pay remains a priority for UNISON. Our members
are the cogs that keep local government services turning and they
deserve to be treated fairly.”
Mark Ferguson, Chair of the Local Government Committee
added, "The result of the ballot on SJC Pay resulted in an overwhelming
rejection of the employers offer.
"The Local Government Committee met to consider this result and
unanimously agreed to pursue a further ballot for industrial action to
seek to force the employers to make an improved offer."
A Branch Secretaries meeting will be organised w/c
17th April at which further details of the consultative ballot
outcome and the arrangements and campaign for the formal industrial
action ballot will be outlined.
No comments:
Post a Comment