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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
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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
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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
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