Date: 25 March 2010

Streamlined pay bargaining should be added to Public Service Reform Bill - UNISON

Scotland's largest public service union - UNISON - is urging MSPs to support a series of amendments to the Public Service Reform Bill in today's debate in the Scottish Parliament.

The union is supporting a series of amendments to the Bill (nos 217 -222) that provide for one bargaining committee, covering all Non Departmental Public Bodies, and Public Corporations. This would streamline the large range of different pay negotiating bodies in the sector and recognise the reality of the decision-making process on public service pay.

Dave Watson, UNISON's Scottish organiser, said "Currently, the number of processes any pay discussions have to go through, mean that the bureaucracy constrains negotiations at local level, takes too long, and has lead to many recent damaging disputes. We think that, if the government is serious about streamlining and simplifying the exercise of public functions, this is a clear and definite step they could take."

ENDS

Note for Editors:- UNISON is Scotland's largest public service union, representing well over 160,000 workers working in Scotland's public services. A briefing on the UNISON supported amendments is available on the website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/briefings/MSPBriefing_PSR_Bill_Amendment_March2010.pdf

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