Life at the Top
Glasgow City Council's chief executive, George Black, has been receiving a terrible press following the announcement of a £30,000 bonus which he gets paid for acting as the chief returning officer in the May 2007 elections.
The £30,000 is on top of his CEO salary of £154,000 and is fully pensionable - so it will add to his retirement lump sum and is worth an extra £15,000 for life - assuming maximum service in the pension scheme.
Now acting as the chief returning officer in the elections is a big responsibility, but whether it's worth £300,000 of public money (£15,000 x 20 years) is another question altogether. Seems a hell of a lot to pay someone who's still doing their day and getting handsomely paid into the bargain.
Now It should be said that George Black is a decent, hard working and honourable individual who has made a significant contribution to the City of Glasgow - but he hasn't negotiated this nice little earner all by himself. Oh no!
It's down to an agreement reached with the Scottish employers and CoSLA (Confederation of Scottish Local Authorities) - other council chief executives around Scotland are entitled to similar payments, although they are keeping their heads well and truly down - and leaving Glasgow and George Black to take all the flak in the media.
But it does have to be said that the whole business leaves a bad taste in the mouth - especially when you consider how badly low paid workers have been treated in their struggle for equal pay.
The Scottish employers and council bosses should hang their heads in shame at the hypocrisy involved.
The £30,000 is on top of his CEO salary of £154,000 and is fully pensionable - so it will add to his retirement lump sum and is worth an extra £15,000 for life - assuming maximum service in the pension scheme.
Now acting as the chief returning officer in the elections is a big responsibility, but whether it's worth £300,000 of public money (£15,000 x 20 years) is another question altogether. Seems a hell of a lot to pay someone who's still doing their day and getting handsomely paid into the bargain.
Now It should be said that George Black is a decent, hard working and honourable individual who has made a significant contribution to the City of Glasgow - but he hasn't negotiated this nice little earner all by himself. Oh no!
It's down to an agreement reached with the Scottish employers and CoSLA (Confederation of Scottish Local Authorities) - other council chief executives around Scotland are entitled to similar payments, although they are keeping their heads well and truly down - and leaving Glasgow and George Black to take all the flak in the media.
But it does have to be said that the whole business leaves a bad taste in the mouth - especially when you consider how badly low paid workers have been treated in their struggle for equal pay.
The Scottish employers and council bosses should hang their heads in shame at the hypocrisy involved.
