Local government workers to be consulted on industrial action, says UNISON
1st April 2022
UNISON, Scotland's largest union, will consult local government members on taking industrial action over pay.
The decision was made today (Friday) at UNISON's national local government conference after members rejected an initial pay offer from COSLA. UNISON informed COLSA of the decision by letter today.
In January UNISON - with Unite and GMB - submitted a pay claim calling for a £3,000 flat rate increase, a minimum hourly rate of £12 per hour and an agreement of home/hybrid working guidance. COSLA offered
In March COSLA offered 2% increase across the board and an increase in the Living Wage hourly rate to £9.98. This was rejected outright by UNSON members. UNISON will now start the industrial action process.
Johanna Baxter, UNISON Scotland's head of local government said: "We have been left with no choice but to consult our members on industrial action. We had hoped that COSLA’s leaders might have reflected on the strength of feeling and the significant financial pressures our members are facing and come back to the negotiating table. It is extremely disappointing that they have chosen not to do so, particularly since the 2022 uplift is due today.
The failure to put forward an acceptable offer does a disservice to every local government worker who has kept this country going during the period of this pandemic. COLSA’s leaders will meet on 29 April and could agree to put forward an improved offer. UNISON will make themselves available to help facilitate a speedy resolution to this issue."
Related Businesses
Related Articles
As intimated in Highland Council's budget plan, a new senior management structure is to be implemented following approval by Council 14th March. It reconfigures the senior management team into two layers, rather than three and brings Highland Council into line with other benchmarked authorities.
Today, Morrison Construction introduced some of their local apprentices who are working on the UK Governments' Levelling Up Funded refurbishment project at the Northern Meeting Park in Inverness. All these apprentices have been recruited from the Highland area.
The by-election to elect a councillor to represent Ward 19 - Inverness South on The Highland Council has been won by Duncan Cameron McDonald - Independent who was one of the eight candidates who contested the vacancy. Voters in the ward went to the poll yesterday (Thursday 11 April) and the by-election count was held this morning in The Highland Council Headquarters in Inverness.
The Technology Placement Programme offers funding to businesses in the Highland Council area to cover up to 70% of the cost of employing a student or graduate. The Technology Placement Programme offers funding to businesses in the Highland Council area to cover up to 70% of the cost of employing a student or graduate.
Following the success of its Business Digital Grant scheme launched last year, The Highland Council is delighted to announce further funding. This is to help Highland companies access digital support alongside other business growth support.
The Highland Council is delighted to confirm a highly successful second year for Public Service Obligation (PSO) flights between Wick and Aberdeen. The period from April 2023 to March 2024 has seen a substantial increase in passenger numbers, with several months seeing over 1,000 passengers using the service, and overall the service has seen year on year growth of 25%.
Members of Highland Council, who met on Thursday 14 March 2024, approved a corporate Digital Ambition, which has been designed to deliver significant organisational change across Council services, recognising the current priorities within the organisation. The Strategy, which is embedded within the wider Council Delivery Plan, has been developed to focus attention and resources on areas of change which will deliver the greatest benefit to the Council.
The Council remains committed to supporting mentoring in our schools, including the support that is currently delivered through the MCR Pathways programme. Highland Council is currently undertaking a review of Employability Support provided by a number of different council services and how these relate to the work carried out by external partners and in our schools.
Highland Council members have considered and agreed a revised draft Highland Outcome Improvement Plan. The partnership plan has been reviewed and updated by the Community Planning Partnership.
Members at today's (14 March 2024) meeting of The Highland Council agreed the local authority's new draft Community Wealth Building Strategy. They were also asked to note that a period of public engagement on the draft will now begin, with a final strategy returning to full Council for consideration in September.
