Review set up as council staff accept pay award
by Kate Ramsden
The local government pay dispute finally reached an end
in November as UNISON members in Scotland’s councils voted
by a narrow majority to accept a two year pay deal worth
3% for 2008 and 2.5% for 2009.
Members of the other two unions, GMB and Unite, rejected
the offer, however, many councils have moved to pay out
the rise in December pay packets.
“The strike action taken on 20 August and 24 September
was successful in improving the offer, thanks to the strong
support from our members and the tremendous work done locally
by branches. Our thanks go to all those who supported this
campaign,” said Stephanie Herd, Chair of the Scottish Local
Government Committee.
“However, the closeness of the result is a clear message
that our members remain unhappy with the pay offer achieved,
and we need to look at what we can learn from the whole
process.”
December’s Scottish Local Government Conference has set
up a working group to conduct a full review of the pay campaign
and strategy and to identify any lessons to be learned.
The working group will include four members of the Local
Government Committee and three branch delegates who were
not directly involved in the negotiations.
The group will make an interim report in February and will
present their findings to the April 2009 Conference. The
review will look at all aspects of the pay strategy including
the pay claim itself, the joint union campaign and an analysis
of communication and leadership issues.
It will also look at the implications for collective bargaining
of the “imposition” of the pay rise by many councils.
Branches have already been invited to contribute their
own experiences of the pay campaign to the review.
“The wide consultation and the range of participants on
the review group will ensure the fullest possible consideration
of what worked well and what we need to improve on and will
help us determine how best to take forward the 2010 pay
campaign,” said Marion Stewart, Vice-Chair.
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