'No confidence' at SEPA

A motion of 'No Confidence' in the management of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has been passed overwhelmingly by the troubled agency's staff.

UNISON members voted 93% for the motion in a secret ballot after management walked away from agreed bargaining arrangements and began to individually pressure staff to accept proposals to rewrite conditions, create a new pay structure and impose a pay rise.

The ballot got a 65% turnout in four days.

Rebecca Noon, UNISON's SEPA Branch Secretary said "It was clear to all, that this huge and costly exercise to try and return industrial relations to the Victorian era, was planned and organised by the Agency's executive long before they even proposed their plans to the staff negotiators."

The SEPA proposals - while details have continued to be changed during the series of staff presentations - could lead to some staff losing thousands of pounds a year.

Alan Fleming, UNISON's SEPA Branch Chairperson said "Even after their advance planning, four different versions of the offer were presented to staff over two days and the presentation had to be changed halfway through the 'tour' as the information was misleading!"

UNISON is now taking this vote back to the Board and the management of SEPA, and will urge them to resume normal bargaining procedures. The union also continues to explore other methods of resolution of this issue, including legal and other action, including possible strike action if other activity fails.

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