UNISON home
Cookies and Privacy  UNISONScotland www
This is our archive website that is no longer being updated.
For the new website please go to
www.unison-scotland.org
Join UNISON
Join UNISON
Click here
Home News About us Join Us Contacts Help Resources Learning Links UNISON UK
   
 

Glasgow Daycare Staff strike

12/12/07

Striking UNISON Learning and Physical Disability daycare members in Glasgow have voted by a narrow margin to accept an offer from the Council.

The deal secures an increase in pay grades based on the trade union's involvement in negotiations on service reform. The deal removes the need for pay protection under the Council's Pay and Benefits Review (Single Status Agreement).

Concerns were expressed by members over the possible nature of the service reforms which will include the loss of posts at some grades and the creation of other posts at other grades. However the deal secures the central demand that members were asked to take action on.

The negotiations on service reform begin immediately with a commitment that the new pay grades will be applied as soon as there is an agreement on service reform. UNISON congratulates the strikers for the determination they have shown over the last eight weeks and in achieving the demands on which they were balloted.


 

 

200 Daycare Centre staff in Glasgow started indefinite strike action on Tuesday 16 October in a dispute about their grading following job evaluation results that could result in them losing thousands of pounds.

Contact Sam McCartney (Service Conditions Officer) at the Glasgow City Branch. 0141 552 7069 or unison enquiries@glasgowcityunison.org.uk

Due to problems with the Glasgow City UNISON website, we are carrying details of the dispute and notices for members.

STRIKE ACTION BY DAY CARE WORKERS IN GLASGOW - AN EXPLANATION

Day Care Workers in Glasgow are on strike. It is based around the issue of pay and grading. Day Care Workers have taken this decision reluctantly and following repeated failures by Glasgow City Council to remedy the issue.

What do Day Care Workers Do?

Day Care Workers work in ten centres across the City offering support and care to people with a physical and learning disability. Their day to day work supports a wide range of people from those with a mild learning disability helping them access community resources and employment, to those with complex needs requiring a high level of care that allows them to live a high quality of life where they can play an active role in their communities. Day Care Workers also provide a vital support to families and carers. Day Care Workers carry extensive and complex case loads and are charged with a high degree of responsibility and accountability for all their clients.

What's the Problem?

Following an Equal Pay Review, Glasgow City Council have placed Day Care Workers on a "Role Profile". These Role Profiles may also be thought of as Job Descriptions. Day Care Workers disagree with the Role Profile they have been allocated as they feel it neither reflects the range or complexity of the work that they do. They are asking to be placed on the next Role Profile up, since this is felt to better reflect the work that they do.

Why Strike?

Strike action is not an option that Day Care Workers have taken lightly. Council unfairly refused to re-grade staff to the next Role Profile at a recent Review. In response Day Care Workers considered a ‘Work to Rule' (or ‘Work to Profile') however it was clear the Council could take legal action, could suspend, or even dismiss staff if they did so. This led Day Care Workers to resort to an all-out strike.

UNISON and the City's 270 Day Care Workers ask you to support them as they continue to campaign for a fair and equitable Role Profile allocation that truly reflects the value, skills, competencies and experience that they bring to their job. All hope to return to work soon and get on with their proud job of supporting and caring for some of Glasgow's most vulnerable citizens, their families and carers.

For more information please see www.glasgowcityunison.org.uk

top

Notices for members

6th Nov: Talk at Edinburgh City Chambers- pledged £500 further meeting on 20th Nov for a further £500.

6TH & 7th Nov: Radio coverage on most radio stations and coverage on BBC1 Television. 8TH Nov: Lobbying at Scottish Parliament met with Bob Doris, Sandra White, Christine McElvey, Adam Ingram, Bill Kidd and Bashir Ahmed. Strikers and carers interviewed by BBC Radio Scotland.

9th Nov: Protest outside City Halls, commonwealth games announcement. Also Daily Record interview.

13th Nov: Interviewed outside City Chambers for Reporting Scotland.

14th Nov: Carers meeting attended by 50 carers (very positive in support of strikers) who have requested a further meeting on Wed 21st Nov.

15th Nov: Talk given to South Lanarkshire council, pledged £1000 and starting a shoe box appeal for strikers and their families. Rally to City Chambers.

16th Nov: Interviewed on Radio Awaz drive time air time given 30 mins, purpose of interview was to keep the ethnic minority public, carers, service users informed of strike, consultation process and info on how they can get a service, interview broadcasted in both Punjabi, urdu and English, radio Awaz will give regular bulletins to update the public. Also leaflets in the process of printing in Urdu And Punjabi with the help of Hamid Rashid (communications officer).

17th Nov: Strikers and Carers interviewed by Radio Clyde. Mass rally at St Enoch Square where we were joined by unison branches nation wide and other unions. Continuous presence at City Chambers from 8am-5pm, also pickets at work places, strikers were invited into the Chambers for tea. Information giving talks at various forums/venues eg: Caledonian University, Glasgow University, Strathclyde University and Stirling University. STUC conference , gay and lesbian members and SSP conference. Coming up this week talks in Ayrshire, Edinburgh, Irvine, lobby at the Chambers and talks at Yarrow and Govan ship yards. Opposition council now becoming involved in action with a promise of lunch at City Chambers for a number of strikers. Estimated total raised so far for strike fund is £21.000.

26th Nov Mon interview by radio Clyde all staff picketing city chambers

27th Nov Tue all staff picketing city chambers

28th Nov Wed 11am carers meeting in branch 12.30 Rally city chambers carers clients and strikers

29th Nov Thur meeting council 9am, rally of client's carers and strikers at city chambers 9am

30th Nov Fri local government bucket collection Patrick burgh halls 12.30

1st Dec Sat Scottish Council Caledonia University bucket collection

 

top

Appeal to UNISON branches

Dear Colleagues,

Social Care Workers: Glasgow City Unison: Industrial Action

On Tuesday 16th October 270 Day Service Workers (DSW's) who are members of our Branch commenced all out indefinite strike action.

This action is a consequence of an unfair and clearly inaccurate application of Glasgow City Council's job evaluation scheme which has reduced their wages, not only in real terms but in relation to colleagues who do like work. Although negotiated protection arrangements broadly preserve the current basic wages of DSW's, in practice they will suffer increasing year on year losses amounting to thousands of pounds from their take home pay.

The call for industrial action came only after an internal appeal to correct the job evaluation result failed. The appeal was rejected by the Council not because of the validity of the case (as no objective application of the job evaluation scheme could fail to support it) but because of the cost implication to the Council if the appeal had been allowed.

The consequential anger of our members was powerfully expressed in the ballot calling for industrial action, and which is now being forcefully demonstrated in the streets of Glasgow.

This action is indefinite and will lead to considerable financial hardship for our members. Although the Branch will do everything we can to alleviate this hardship, our resources are limited. Accordingly we are seeking the financial support of UNISON members throughout the country, and any and all donations to our fighting fund will be gratefully accepted.

Thanking you in anticipation.

John Devine/John Murdoch
Branch Secretaries Jobshare

 

top