Vote on pay: 'Don't just reject, be ready to step up action'

by Chris Bartter

Following the highly successful second one-day strike on September 24, CoSLA has made a new offer to local government staff, amounting to 5.5% over two years.

The final offer was 3% for 2008 and 2.5% for 2009. The offer was conditional on the unions agreeing to consult members and call off the selective action that was to start on 6 October.

Dougie Black, lead negotiator said, "Whilst your negotiators considered this new offer disappointing, they agreed that all local government members in Scotland should be asked to vote on whether they want to accept or reject the offer, and suspended the action to allow this to happen. Ballot papers will be issued from 22 October."

Rejection recommended

UNISON, along with our colleagues in GMB and Unite, have agreed to recommend members reject the offer because -

1. Inflation continues to be around 5% and is thought it will stay high well into next year. CoSLA is asking members to take a pay cut.

2. We want a one year deal because of the uncertainty of future years. CoSLA want to tie us into a very poor second year.

3. The offer includes no adjustments, weightings or anything else to give the low paid members a boost.

Increased Strike Action

Stephanie Herd, Chair of UNISON's Local Government Group said, "Members' action has already delivered a new offer, but people need to be clear that if they reject this offer, members will need to significantly increase the pressure on councils through political campaigning and further strike action.

"This means re-instating the selective action but on a bigger and wider scale. This means some members being prepared to come out for longer than a week at a time. This means further days of all-out strikes."

UNISON is saying to members 'Don't just reject the new offer, clearly commit to escalate strike action.'

Other campaigning

The union will be writing to every councillor again. Members are also being urged to contact their councillors by writing, emailing or visiting their surgery. Branches should organise lobbies of Council meetings and encourage all members to support these. We will write to all MSPs and members should do the same. We will seek to put our case in the press and members can support this by writing letters and phoning in.

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