Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, will tour picket lines, address a major rally and explain to commuters why members are striking for fair pay.
Dave will join UNISON’s Scottish Secretary Matt Smith to support around 100,000 members of the largest council union, who will be on strike with colleagues from the GMB and Unite unions.
He said: “Our members are taking this action very reluctantly. They care deeply about the vital services they provide and those who depend on them and we apologise for any disruption. However, members feel that they have no choice when the employers’ offer is effectively a pay cut.
“I believe the public understand the frustration at an offer that would lock council workers into a 2.5% pay offer for three years, when inflation is way ahead of that and rising. Yet the employers have failed to invite us back to talk to them since before the strike ballot was called.”
Dave and Matt will tomorrow join pickets at 07:15 at the City of Edinburgh Council headquarters at Waverley Court, where they will launch an advertising trailer highlighting the reasons for the strike.
They will later distribute leaflets to members of the public at Waverley Station, explaining why UNISON members are taking action.
The pair will then support picketing workers at West Lothian Council and Dave Prentis will address a rally in George Square, Glasgow at 12.30pm.
UNISON members will be staffing picket lines and holding rallies across Scotland, with other rallies and demonstrations in Paisley, Inverness, Motherwell, Dundee, and Inverurie. Updates are on the website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/localgovt/pay2008/events.html
i wish all my UNISON colleagues every success in their day of Industrial Action. I think it's high time LG employers are brought to task on the issue of pay, 2.5% over 3 years is a SLAP in the face for council workers who deliver valuable services day in day out. Strike action is always a last resort in any dispute but I think the level of support for this stance from the membership is astounding if the employers want a battle they now have one!!
ReplyDeleteGood luck Scottish comrades! I hope your employers are moved to make a better offer by the success of your action tomorrow. If they are not then I hope that we can continue to campaign for fair pay for local government workers north and south of the border - building unity as we do so.
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