Date 1 December 2006

UNISON reacts angrily to Council accusation

UNISON, Glasgow City Council's largest union, today reacted angrily to accusations of putting lives at risk from the Council. The union pointed out that the council had created this situation by attacking the pay and conditions of staff who care for the vulnerable in Residential care, home care and education.

Mike Kirby, UNISON's Glasgow City Branch Chair, said "In any dispute, UNISON seeks to reach agreement with the employer on a required level of cover. Residential social workers and other low paid staff stand to lose thousands of pounds as a result of this pay review - the very areas that the council has identified as being at risk. We have tabled possible solutions to this dispute to Glasgow's Chief Executive at the beginning of November, and as recently as last Friday, I met the leader of the council in an effort to resolve the dispute. But the council was unwilling to discuss the core issues to resolve the dispute.

"We now face a situation where some of the very people who should be gaining from this exercise are having low pay cut further. It is no wonder they are so angry that they are insisting on taking strike action.

"UNISON is always available for talks on this issue. In terms of the level of cover needed for the provision of care, it is the Council's responsibility, to provide services with adequately trained and appropriately paid staff. Instead the council's actions seek to reduce these staff's pay by thousands of pounds.”

The Industrial action will take place over the 5, 6 and 7 December and will affect all departments of the Council. A rally is being held on Wednesday 6 December at 12.30pm in the Central Hotel, Glasgow.

UNISON members voted by 2 to 1 on around a 50% turnout to take strike action over the loss of money that many face.

ENDS

For Further Information Please Contact: Mike Kirby(Glasgow City Branch Chair) 0845 355 0845(w) 07803 952 261(m) Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 0845 355 0845(w) 0771 558 3729(m)

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