Date: Friday 27 August 2010

COSLA imposing 3 year pay deal is kick in teeth to local government workers

UNISON today reacted angrily to COSLA’s decision to impose a three year pay deal, calling it a kick in the teeth to local government workers.

Stephanie Herd, Chair of UNISON’s Scottish Local Government Committee, said: “COSLA has misrepresented the unions’ negotiating position and has said they value employees, while kicking them in the teeth today.

“Imposing a deal is not the way to do pay bargaining and is totally unfair to hard working local government workers across Scotland.

“UNISON has made the case that there is an alternative to the cuts agenda, an alternative that delivers the quality services Scotland needs, with decent pay and conditions for staff.”

Dougie Black, UNISON trade union side secretary and lead negotiator, said: “All three trade unions jointly sought talks with COSLA and these took place yesterday.

“Our position was that we wanted to look at re-shaping the offer and we were not asking for more money. We simply wanted to talk about re-shaping their offer.

“COSLA had budgeted for 1% this year but have chosen to impose a lower figure than the Tory/Liberal Democrat coalition are prepared to pay public sector workers south of the border.

“It is contemptible that they say they value public service workers. They can’t possibly when they are reducing wages, taking an offer off the table and imposing something worth less.”

ends

Note to Editors:
Three unions make up the trade union side of the Scottish Joint Council: UNISON, Unite and GMB.

For further information please contact:
Dougie Black, UNISON trade union side secretary and lead negotiator 07958 121 851 (m)
Stephanie Herd, Chair, UNISON Scottish Local Government Committee 07989 544 162 (m)
Glyn Hawker, Scottish Organiser (Bargaining & Equal Pay) 07876 441 237 (m)
Fiona Montgomery, Communications Officer 0141 342 2877 (o) 07908 672 890 (m)

Stay in touch with UNISON Scotland's latest news releases on our website http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/news/index.html and frequent updates on our blog http://unison-scotland.blogspot.com/

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