Local Government Pay – All you need to know.

UNISON (and other unions) submitted our pay claim in January for 2018-19.

WHAT WE ASKED FOR:

The claim was for a flat rate increase of £1500 or 6.5% - whichever was the greater ( based on a 37 hr week and applied after the Scottish Local Government t Living Wage rate has been updated), with a similar percentage increase in allowances.
We are also looking for a commitment to make up for the loss of earnings after years of below inflation rises over the next five years.
(The full details of the claim are here)

It took COSLA over two months to respond.

WHAT THEY ARE OFFERING

COSLA responded to the offer on 26th March proposing;
3% for everyone earning up to £36 500
(They propose raising Scottish Government Living Wage from £8.51per hour - £8.77 per hour. That will provide 3% for those getting that rate.)
2% for everyone earning £36 501- 80, 000
£1600 for those on £80k+
They propose increasing allowances by 3% (except First Aid which will be dealt with separately)

SO WHAT ARE WE DOING?

We 'noted' this offer. We also noted that while COSLA said this was a final offer they were writing to the Scottish government saying that if the government want to provide one lot of workers (there are four bargaining groups, ourselves, craft workers, teachers and Chief Officers) with a better settlement than anyone else. Then the government better come up with the cash to pay for it, COSLA for their part want to give everyone the same increase. (Something we’ve argued for years.)

So we decided we would write to the Scottish government too... asking them to give COSLA enough cash to give everyone a decent raise at the same rate. (The letter is here)...

WHAT NOW?

The joint unions have another meeting with COSLA on the 4th May. We’ll find out then if the Scottish Government are going to front up any more money to councils – but we’ll keep arguing for our claim.
Stay tuned.

UNISON welcomes IPPR Scotland report ‘Scotland pay packets down 12% in real-terms since 2009’

IPPR report confirms UNISON’s view that falling real terms pay has had a considerable negative effect on the economy.

The IPPR report which is published today (23 March 2016) confirms that, pay in Scotland has fallen in real-terms by 12%, with private sector pay falling further than public sector pay. It also confirms that had pay risen in line with expectations, the Scottish economy would be £11.6bn larger than it is today

The analysis – which compares official Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) 2011 predictions with today’s reality – shows that while average pay for Scottish workers rose by 8 per cent between 2009 and 2015, this is offset by an increase in inflation of 20 per cent over the same period. This means real pay packets in Scotland are 12 per cent lower today than they were in 2009.

Trade unions and Falkirk Council fail to agree on new terms and conditions package

Date: Wednesday 10 February 2016 Talks between Falkirk Council and Joint Trade Unions broke down today (9 February) after trade unions could not accept the new package of terms and conditions being proposed by Falkirk Council. Talks broke down after the Joint Trade Union informed Falkirk Council that following a ballot they felt they could not agree the package put forward. Falkirk Council informed the Joint Trade Union that they will be writing to all employees tomorrow (10 February 2016) to inform them of the position. Gray Allan, spokesperson for the Joint Trade Union, said, ‘The trade unions are working hard to get the best agreement for all members. Local government workers are taking the brunt of austerity with job losses, pay freezes and reductions in terms and conditions. This proposal to change member’s terms and conditions aims to make it easier for Falkirk Council to administer more cuts. Council workers are trying to be as helpful as possible but we have to do what can to protect local services, jobs and our member’s terms and conditions’ Gray Allan also said, ‘We will report back to our members, in person, as soon as we can. In the meantime we thought it was important to speak to the Falkirk Herald to keep our members informed. We are disappointed that Falkirk Council could not give us more time to explain personally to our members. In the meantime we encourage union members to seek further clarification from their trade union reps so we can all work towards a collective agreement.’ END The Joint Trade Union represents all union members collectively. Unions included in Joint Trade Union are UNISON, GMB, UNITE, UCATT, and EIS

UNISON hails historic pay deal for further education support staff in Scotland

Date: Friday 22 January 2016 UNISON hails historic pay deal for further education support staff in Scotland UNISON has led negotiations to achieve the first ever national pay rise for over four thousand support staff in Scotland‘s Further Education Colleges. Support staff deliver a range of vital student services and are key to the running of the 25 new colleges in Scotland. The deal was agreed at the new National Joint Negotiating Committee (NJNC) in Edinburgh. (Orkney, Shetland and SRUC are not in scope of the new machinery). It is the first agreement since the recent college mergers. UNITE and GMB unions are also party to the national negotiations UNISON members will receive between 1-2% pay rise. Those on lower salaries will receive a higher percent rise because of the agreement to pay the living wage and £300 flat rate increase  Key features are consolidation of the real Living Wage rate of £7.85 per hour from 1 April 2015; a flat rate of £300 for all those earning under £30k per year; a standard 35 hour week across the sector; and a minimum 27 days annual leave across the sector; and 2 days extra leave for all.  Employers and trade unions have also committed to negotiate a new single pay structure and new single set of conditions of service for all staff; as well as attainment of official Living Wage accreditation of all Colleges by the end of 2016. Chris Greenshields, Chair of UNISON Scotland’s further education sector said: “UNISON is pleased to have achieved the first ever national settlement for further education support staff in Scotland. UNISON is the union for college support staff and there is something for all our members in this negotiated package. I want to congratulate UNISON members for helping to ensure all low paid workers in Scotland's Colleges are now guaranteed the Living Wage plus £300. We will continue the work hard for more gains in the 2016, in particular an equal flat rate settlement for all workers in the sector which is much fairer than a percentage increase.“ John Gallacher, Scottish organiser and UNISON lead for FE said: “This sets up the NJNC for a wider programme of negotiations. Scottish Government (post May 2016) must provide investment for a root and branch rationalisation and harmonisation of pay rates and conditions across the sector in an acceptable timescale. The disparities currently are still extreme after many years of college level bargaining” Shirley Sephton, Vice Chair, said: “UNISON members voted to accept this offer across Scotland in the knowledge that this was the best deal we could get for 2015 through negotiation. They wish to work with management to help establish National Bargaining and in return will expect all Scottish Boards to honour the national agreement and put the increase into pay as soon as possible.” ENDS  Notes for editors The full support staff deal is for: A consolidated 1% uplift for all employees (or) £300 pro rata for employees earning below £30k (whichever is the greater) The sector will pay the living wage for its directly employed staff. Commitments from the management:  The Management Side is committed to securing living wage accreditation for all colleges, the management side and the trade unions will work to achieve this by December 2016. Standardisation of the working week to 35 hours, with no detriment to earnings, the Management Side will work to achieve this standardisation by April 2016. To provide on a pro rata basis an additional unconsolidated two days annual leave entitlement for all support staff for 2015/16. To provide a minimum of 27 days leave pro rata, with no impact on the maximum entitlement from April 2015. Address as a priority leave entitlements across the sector by 31 March 2016  Will commit to look at a flat cash settlement from 2016 If there is any change to the % increase or flat cash settlement to lecturers, the support staff  will receive this To establish a short life working group, to develop an agreed timetable inclusive of a route map of key priorities and key deliverables, by 31 March 2016. The Management Side believe this offers the best prospect of introducing a workforce modernisation programme inclusive of standardisation and harmonisation across the sector. The management side envisage such a route map addressing: A national job evaluation scheme A national pay and grading scale National Conditions of service National Pay Protection Pay award will be effective from April 2015.

Further Education support staff set to reject pay offer and join lecturing staff across Scotland in possible industrial action

Further Education support staff took a step closer today (5 November 2015) to industrial action across all Scottish Colleges (except Orkney and Shetland). UNISON Further Education members are being balloted on a 2015 pay rise, which was due on 1 April 2015.

Chris Greenshields

UNISON Scotland, the main union for the Sector, is recommending rejection of the employers 1% final offer. UNISON, in common with the lecturers’ union EIS/ FELA, is angry at the lengthy delay in the whole pay negotiating progress and the conduct of the employers’ side in this first ever round of Scottish wide negotiations.

The final pay offer of a 1% consolidated pay award, with £300 flat rate for those earning under £21,000 replaces the previous risible offer of 1% unconsolidated pay award – the unconsolidated offer being a first in the Scottish public sector.

The offer falls well short of UNISON’s claim of £1000 for all which is fair, equitable and would have started to address the deep seated and longstanding pay variances across the 26 colleges. The final offer squeezes middle earners (between £21k and 30k) who will receive between £210 and £299 per annum extra.

Commenting, Chris Greenshields, UNISON Chairperson for Further Education said:

UNISON wins £ multi-million compensation for 1400 women in Fife Council

Date: Wednesday 28 October 2015

UNISON has reached a multi million pound settlement with Fife Council for over 1400, mainly low paid women UNISON members, for their equal pay claims.

UNISON members will now be properly recompensed for historic discriminatory pay practices within Fife Council. It is a deal worth £millions and will include compensation for members back pay in some cases to 2006.

UNISON has been at the forefront of the legal campaign to fight for equal pay for women workers and to ensure they receive the back pay to which they are entitled.

Dougie Black, UNISON regional organiser for Fife local government said, ‘This has been a long time coming, many claims stretch back to 2006, we can only thank UNISON members for their hard work and patience. We will now discuss individual claims with the employer to ensure each claim is calculated properly. This a good day for low paid women workers and UNISON is proud to have been a part of it.’

Suzanne Craig, UNISON’s legal officer said, ‘UNISON will be seeking early payment from the employers. Regrettably it took the threat of proceeding to an Employment Tribunal to focus the employer’s minds to settle, but it is great news for everyone that we have agreed.  This settlement also agrees the legal principles for moving forward to ensure wherever possible that job evaluation and pay practices remain free from discrimination in the future. Members will receive individual letters, in due course, outlining their settlement figures. I want to thank everyone for their patience.’
 

UNISON continues to fight for equal pay particularly for low paid women across Scotland

END

Notes

• UNISON is the public services union and the largest union in Scotland, and the largest union in local government across UK.
• UNISON is negotiating equal pay claims in councils across Scotland. It has been running equal pay claims in Fife since 2006
• UNISON has agreed the principles of the settlement and how we calculate each settlement. We now need to agree each individual settlement a process which we will complete as soon as possible

Community led public services can transform inequalities, says report

Thursday 22 October 2015

UNISON Labour Link Media Release - Launch of Commission on Health Inequalities report will take place at 22 October, 9.00am UNISON Scotland, 14 West Campbell St., Glasgow

The report of the Commission on Health Inequalities for the Scottish Labour Party calls for national leadership and community hubs to tackle health inequalities.

The Commission for Health Inequalities set up by Labour’s then shadow health minister, Neil Findlay MSP, has published its report today (22 October 2015) calling on the Labour Party to adopt radical policies to tackle Scotland’s enduring policy failure of health inequalities. The commission report calls on Labour Party to adopt a transformative agenda if it wants to change political priorities of the Scottish Parliament on this issue.

The report aims to prioritise this agenda across government. It proposes a breadth of policies to tackle health inequalities in Scotland.

Key policy recommendations include building of community hubs, with local multi disciplinary teams that join up services in real localities and which would also serve as community meeting places, where communities are free to set their own agenda. They would include various public services based under the same roof including social work, housing, health and leisure services such as community cafes. With advice shops that offer amongst other things debt, welfare and income maximisation advice. (Para 3.6 of report). These are the type of services envisaged by Christie, who recommended services designed from the bottom up with citizens at their heart, with a high degree of professional autonomy for front line teams.

It recommends the adoption of a progressive universalism approach whereby important basic universal services are targetted and tailored in proportion to community needs.

And it recommends the introduction of health inequality impact assessments for every policy devised by public bodies in Scotland. In other words anything that the Government and every other body do must always take cognisance of its impact on health inequalities. This would ensure that the Scottish Government would take a cross portfolio approach. (para 3.3 in report)

Other policy recommendations include free childcare, an end to the council tax freeze, using the Scottish Parliament new welfare powers and using procurement to end low pay and poor employment practices
Dr David Conway, Chair of the Health Inequalities Commission said, “Health inequalities are the manifestation of inequalities in income, wealth, and power. They result in upto 30 years difference in life expectancy between those born in the richest and poorest neighbourhoods.

There have been many reports on Scottish health inequalities over the years. This commission report is different because it is firmly focussed on what we can and must do in Scotland to tackle this enduring problem. It is a national shame that we have some of the worst health inequalities in the developed world.  We need to debunk the myth that there are no devolved powers available to take on this huge challenge and get on and do something about it. The commission recommendations come from a wide consultation with experts working in communities, the health service, local government, and trade unions; as well as from community engagement events.

The testimonies we heard from people working heroically in their communities painted a graphic picture of the miserable reality of poverty and inequality and the inadequate policy and resources we put into tackling health inequalities in Scotland.

If we are ever going to solve this issue we are going to have to fundamentally change our political priorities and choices taken in the Scottish Parliament”

A full list of the policy recommendations are in the report, some are repeated in the notes below.

ENDS


Notes 
Commission on Health Inequalities Report  for the Labour Party in Scotland was commissioned by Neil Findlay MSP when he was shadow minister for health. It is supported by Socialist Health Association.
The document also calls for a range of policies to tackle low pay and poor working conditions including:

• Agency workers given parity with full-time employees.
• To use procurement to ensure better pay and conditions protection for workers including paying the workforce at least the living wage,  to incorporate the value of lost tax credits in peoples low pay, and to end zero hours contracts and blacklisting trade unionists.
•  Ensure the ‘Scottish Real Living Wage’ is paid in the Social Care sector.
•  Encourage collective bargaining processes.
• Ensure all Fair Work Convention recommendations are implemented.
• Establish a Scottish Health & Safety Executive.
• Raise the levels of Social Security payments to a level conducive to the minimum income for healthy living.
• Abolish the cruel sanctions regime.
• Review all employment and welfare policies devolved in the Scotland Bill and ensure that they are used to maximum potential to reduce health inequalities.

It also calls for Scottish Parliament to:

• Lift the council tax freeze. Reform the regressive Council Tax and consider options for fairer local taxation.
• Build a minimum of 10,000 new social houses each year. Transform the quality and quantity of social housing across Scotland.
• Introduce better regulation of private rented sector including effective rent controls and consider extending the Housing Quality Standards to the Private Sector.
• Provide free childcare at the point of use and extend breakfast clubs and free healthy meals to nursery schools.
• Ensure schools strive to develop social, emotional, health and wellbeing agendas as a foundation for learning.
• Reverse Cuts and boost spending at Further Education colleges.
• Tackle the Mental Health Crisis in Scotland - We strongly recommend that mental health services are prioritised and invested in as a matter of urgency
• Create national targets for reducing health inequalities.
• Create a Cross-portfolio Cabinet Secretary for Health Equity.

Local govt members vote to accept two year pay offer

Over 88% of Scottish local government members voting in their pay ballot have accepted a two year offer with a new Living Wage deal. Staff will now get a 1.5% rise from 1 April 2015 and 1% from April 2016.

Importantly, the Scottish Local Government Living Wage of £7.85 per hour will be put in place before the 1.5% rise, making it £7.97 an hour.

And in April 2016, the Living Wage will be increased to the recommended figure of the Living Wage Foundation, again before the 1% rise. There will also be talks on removing the pay points below the Living Wage level.

Negotiators succeeded in getting the initial offer of two years at 1.25% front-loaded to 1.5% in 2015 which is above inflation and slightly increases the value of the 1% in 2016. In August inflation was 0.0% on the Consumer Prices Index and 1.1% on the Retail Prices Index.

A full briefing will go out to UNISON branches tomorrow.

Local government pay offer made - ballot from 2 September

UNISON and the other SJC trade unions have been in negotiations with the Scottish Employers for a number of months on the issue of pay. We submitted a claim in November last year, the headline of which was an increase of £1 per hour. Unfortunately we were unable to convince the employers to make a flat rate increase in this pay round. It was also the case that the employers were prepared to offer an increased ‘pot of money’ if the trade unions were able to agree to a two year pay settlement. That being the case the final offer from the employers is as follows;

· A pay agreement which covers the period from 1st April 2015 to 31st March 2017

· 2015 -2016. As of 1st April 2015, the Scottish Local Government Living Wage of £7.85ph will be applied, following which there will be an increase of 1.5% on all spinal column points. This would achieve a Scottish Local Government Living Wage of £7.97ph

· 2016 – 2017. As of 1st April 2016, the Living Wage will be increased to the recommended figure of the Living Wage Foundation, following which there will be an increase of 1% on all spinal column points.

· A commitment from the employers to examine the feasibility of a ‘flat rate’ settlement in future pay rounds subject to the trade unions making such a claim.

The Scottish Local Government Committee have carefully considered this offer and whilst they recognise that it does not meet the terms of our claim, it is their view that further negotiations will not improve this offer. It is also noted that the employers have committed to discussions with the trade unions commencing in September 2015, regarding the full consolidation of the living wage and the deletion of spinal column points below the level of the living wage

It is therefore their view that this offer is the best that can be achieved by negotiation and that the recommendation to members is to ACCEPT.

A full consultation with members will now take place. This will be in the form of a consultative ballot sent to members' home addresses. The ballot will open on 3rd September and close at 12 noon on 25th September 2015. Members are urged to vote in this ballot so we get a clear view from you on the offer.

Any member who does not receive a ballot paper please email the following address before 22nd September. membershipteamscotland@unison.co.uk

Wednesday 8 July 2015

UNISON | Budget shuts public sector workers out of the recovery, says UNISON

Budget shuts public sector workers out of the recovery, says UNISON

Responding to the Chancellor’s Budget Statement today (Wednesday) UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis said:

“Capping wages at a miserly one per cent for four more years for public sector workers will hasten the reluctant exit of many dedicated staff from our hospitals, schools and local councils.

“The economy is growing yet public servants remain shut out of the recovery. Despite bearing the brunt of austerity, they are to keep paying the price for the reckless behaviour of the banks.

“Britain won’t have public services fit for 21st century needs, unless wages for public servants are high enough to attract the best recruits. Pay austerity might be over for MPs but it’s set to continue for many more years for everyone else in the public sector.

“An hourly rate of £7.20 is not a living wage. George Osborne’s announcement might look attractive at first glance but as tax credits are cruelly snatched away – leaving many workers £1,200 worse off – he’s simply giving to the low-paid with one hand and taking away with the other.

“An independently set living wage already exists, and its higher rate assumes the full take up of in-work benefits. Renaming the minimum wage will mean fewer employers will feel obliged to pay staff any more than the law requires them to.”

Media Release From UNISON UK

UNISON sets out a strategy to reverse the decline in public sector pay

#uNDC15 As our pay has declined, the rich simply get richer and richer. So UNISON will look to build support for progressive taxation systems, getting the message across that increasing pay will promote a healthier economy, and campaigning to change the neo-liberal policies that have been evident in not only Tory Governments but Labour ones too – policies that see the suppression of pay, the maximisation of profits, and the reduction of taxation.

“We will not be walking away from a fight,” said Gordon Mackay, NEC “This union’s strategy for fair pay is simple – Recruit, Campaign and Organise. And in case there is any doubt let me be absolutely clear, that includes sustained industrial action – co-ordinated campaigns with other unions. This union will protect and defend our members at all times.”

And Jane Aitchison, South Lanarkshire, called for UNISON to re-invigorate the Pay Claim Cycle “We need to win the arguments with members, the public, the media and our politicians. Our pay has been squeezed for over 30 years – deliberately.”

UNISON calls on MSPs to oppose fees increase for health and care professionals

Date: Monday 15 June 2015

UNISON is calling on MSPs to oppose new legislation which aims to substantially increase registration fees for professions registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.  

The Scottish Parliament's Health and Sport Committee will consider this subordinate legislation (regulations) at its meeting on Tuesday, 16 June. UNISON is requesting an opportunity to give evidence to the committee to say why they oppose increased fees.

Dave Watson, UNISON Scotland head of bargaining and campaigns said:

"Staff have no choice but to pay this fee to work and at best have had a meagre 1% pay rise in accordance with the Scottish Government pay policy.

"On the other hand the Health and Care Professions Council is proposing a 12.5% rise to their professional fees. 

NHS union to discuss pay bargaining

Date: Thursday 11 June 2015

Over 60 stewards and union staff from NHS union UNISON meet in Ayr today (Thurs) to plan the union's future strategy on pay in NHS Scotland.

Speaking at the annual policy event Tam Waterson Chairperson of the Scottish Health Committee said:  “UNISON believes in the NHS and UK bargaining on pay and conditions, however our members across the UK have experienced different pay deals, determined simply by which nation they live in, the time is now right for Scottish unions to negotiate with our government on pay."

Pay for NHS workers is determined by an independent pay review body (PRB). In recent years only the Scottish Government has honoured the recommendations, however the union remains critical over the level of pay awards which amount to a real terms cut in NHS workers' wages.

Tam Waterson said:
"UNISON has welcomed the Scottish Government's commitment to the PRB and we recognise that this is better than our members received in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

UNISON demands pay uplift for further education staff

Sun 24 May 2015

UNISON today calls for Angela Constance, Cabinet Secretary for Education, to intervene in national pay negotiations for further education staff, which have all but broken down.

UNISON leaders are astonished at the responses they have recovered from further education employers.

UNISON lodged its pay claim on 3 February 2015.  The union is looking to agree a new pay settlement to commence on 1 April 2015. However, negotiators were astonished when employers said they needed to get the agreement of all 27 college boards before they could progress any talks and they estimate a further delay until at least October 2015.

UNISON has responded that unless employers can return with a something on the table in June 2015 then the union will consider industrial action.

Chris Greenshields, chair of the UNISON Scotland further education committee said:

“National negotiations have become farcical. College bosses say they cannot respond to UNISON’s reasonable claim until October at the earliest.

"Our members, who have delivered significant organisational change and who have suffered big job losses and increased workload, have lost patience. There is a meeting in June and, unless there is a firm proposal, then we are headed for industrial unrest in this key sector."

John Gallacher, UNISON Scottish organiser with responsibility for FE, said:

“The further education employers and Scottish Funding Council are saying there is no money in the sector, yet colleges have a £100 million nest egg hidden in arm's length trusts.

"This is public money and UNISON calls on Angela Constance to get a small part of that very large fund on to the bargaining table to address UNISON’s reasonable pay claim.

"Student attainment in FE is very high thanks to the hard work and commitment of our members.

"It is perfectly reasonable that this should be rewarded.”

ENDS 

Notes for Editors

1. UNISON claim is for £1,000 flat rate with effect from 1 April 2015. This would cost £4.4 million.

2. There are 4,443 FTE support staff in FE Scotland (3,526 FTE Lecturing staff) in 27 colleges.

3. UNISON is the largest trade union in Scotland.

May Scotland in UNISON now online

Election special, Health conference reports, Glasgow strikers and reports from UNISON at the STUC on TTIP, local government, pay, union rights, poverty, environment, child care, BME workers, ethical care charter, flexible working, pay and much more. Take your copy into your workplace and share it or see it online at at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/index.html and on issuu at http://issuu.com/unisonscotland along with back issues.

Pay success needs unions to work together

#stuc15 The reason the Tories can justify five years of pay cuts for public service workers is simple according to UNISON’s Gordon McKay. “They don’t like you!”

“In fact it’s far deeper than that”, he said. “They despise you. Every public sector worker whether it is in the NHS, education, or local government who delivers world class public services to the ill, the young or the vulnerable is a barrier tp the selling off of these services to the Tory privatisers who see big profits there for the taking and they hate you for it.”

UNISON Glasgow homeless service workers to take all out strike action

Monday 30 March 2015
Seventy workers in Glasgow Council’s Homeless Service will walk out on Tuesday 31 March in a dispute over their pay grade.

The workers are all members of the trade union UNISON and will take all out, indefinite strike action in a dispute over the application of the council’s job evaluation scheme to the role of Homelessness Caseworkers. Three out of every four strikers will be women.

Ian Leech, UNISON Glasgow Social Work Convenor, said:
“These workers have been unfairly treated for years in that their jobs should have been graded the same as other frontline staff in addiction services or older people’s teams. They have been very patient and hoped that the matter would be addressed by the council, indeed over the years some managers have informally said that they agree with the trade union position.

"Our members care about the people who rely on the service which they provide however, they have been left with no other option. All they are looking for is to be treated the same as the other 400 social care staff who do a similar job.”

The workers assess the needs of homeless people and families across Glasgow, organise crucial support and help people to access and maintain emergency, temporary and permanent accommodation. The seventy workers have nearly 3,000 people on their caseloads.

ends 

Notes for editors

• The strikers will protest outside the Social Work HQ, 40 John Street on Tuesday 31 March at 12noon. Come for photo opportunity and interviews with the strikers.
• The UNISON density level in the dispute area is over 90%.
• 84% of members voted for strike action on a 64% turnout.
• The members have been taking action short of strike action since late January 2015.
• The workers are on Pay Grade 5 (£21,000 to £24,500). Others doing a similar job are on Pay Grade 6 (£25,500 to £30,000).

'Stop dumping on waste management staff' says UNISON Scotland

Fri 23 Jan 2015

UNISON Scotland conducted surveys amongst staff working in waste management across Scotland’s local authorities. The results revealed a workforce under pressure facing increasing targets and declining budgets.  

In a report Dumped On – Working in Scotland’s Waste Management Servicesthe union details the experience and expectations of a workforce trying do their job in an a constantly changing environment. 

Waste management has become a more demanding task in recent years as demands for more and more complex recycling have been put on staff at the same time as budgets have been put under pressure.  These burdens are set to increase as targets for more waste to be recycled or reused are going up and council budgets are being squeezed still further.

UNISON Scotland Head of Bargaining and Campaigns Dave Watson said:

“The job is treating rubbish – It shouldn’t mean getting rubbish treatment. Councils and the  Scottish Government should start realising that. They can’t expect staff to meet more stringent targets when they are being cut back.

“ Waste management staff are vital for both environmental Health and the health of the environment . Every political party claims they want to increase recycling rates and is signed up to the idea of a Zero Waste Scotland. They need to be prepared to put their money where litter is.

“The aim is that more waste is reused and recycled rather than put in landfill – well if Councils and Government want less waste – they are going to have to invest in more people to make that happen. They can’t expect to get ever more complex demands from a  reducing and overstretched workforce

ENDS

Notes for Editors

The report Dumped on: working in Scotland’s waste management services can be found at:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/
DumpedOn_WasteManagementStaffSurvey_Jan2015.pdf

Under pressure – UNISON survey shows Scotland’s occupational therapists struggling to maintain service

Tue 11 Nov 2014

A report out today (Tuesday 11 Nov 2014) by UNISON shows that Scotland’s occupational therapists are struggling to maintain the level of service their patients need in light of budget cuts and staffing shortages.

Those surveyed in the report – Under Pressure: Scotland’s occupational therapists speak out – said they had huge concerns about the impact cuts are having on the service. An overwhelming majority (82%) reported increased workloads, 60% reported having to cope with reduced members of staff and almost half (48%) reported funding cuts.

There were recurring themes among the concerns: assessments being overruled because of resource pressures; and failure by management to replace absent colleagues, specifically for maternity leave which, given the virtually all-female composition of the workforce, is more common than in many other groups of staff. When asked if they regularly worked more than their contracted hours 60% of respondents said they did – an extra five hours a week was the average. While the majority (58%) of respondents reported their standard of living had dropped in the last 3-4 years. 

LG Pay Scotland - Members vote to accept

The Scottish Local Government pay ballot closed yesterday and the results were as follows: Members voted 70.8% to accept and 29.2% to reject the revised pay offer. The LG committee meets tomorrow 5 November. A further update will be circulated thereafter.