Unprecedented Argyll & Bute action delivers new offer

A series of all-out strikes, selective action and working to rule has led to Argyll & Bute Council offering a new set of proposals addressing many staff concerns over the Single Status conditions the council originally proposed.

On the last day of a solid three-day strike (8 Feb) a packed meeting in Dunoon's Queen's Hall, heard that meetings with the council over the previous two days had delivered improvements to the proposals.

These included commitments on public holidays and pay frequencies; full consultation and negotiation before any future changes to actual working hours for any staff; and further discussions on weekend enhancements.

The rally attracted around 350 members of UNISON, and some colleagues from UNITE, from all corners of Argyll and Bute. Both this rally and a subsequent committee meeting of key branch officials agreed that the movement from the council was enough to suspend the action and allow scrutiny of the proposals by UNISON at a national level.

There will also be full consultation with all members, which is expected to take the form of a ballot.

Donald Brown, UNISON's Branch Chair said, "This unprecedented action for Argyll & Bute, has brought the council back to the negotiating table and given sufficient safeguards to allow us to suspend the action.

"The Branch welcomes this progress towards a fair local agreement on Single Status and would like to thank all those who have expressed their support for our campaign."

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