South Lanarkshire Council - letter to Unison
Stephen Smellie (pronounced Smiley, not Smelly) is the Unison branch secretary in South Lanarkshire Council.
But Stephen (a former left-wing firebrand and supporter of Militant - which grew into the Scottish Socialist Party) has been strangely quiet on the subject of Equal Pay.
As quiet as a mouse in fact - or even a Trappist Monk - because Stephen appears to have lost the ability to speak up for union members.
South Lanarkshire Council says that its Single Status pay structures were agreed by Unison and the other trade unions - but Stephen and his colleagues have remained silent while the row over Equal Pay and Single Status has raged in the press and media.
So, what is the position of Unison and the other trade unions - have they reached a collective agreement with the council and, if so, why are ordinary members being kept in the dark?
Here's a letter union members can send to their Unison branch secretary - which will help put Unison and the other trade unions on the spot. You just need to sign and date the letter after adding your address and post code.
To
Stephen Smellie
Unison Branch Secretary
South Lanarkshire Council
Dear Stephen
South Lanarkshire Council - Single Status and Equal Pay
South Lanarkshire Council claims that the Single Status pay and grading structure introduced in 2004 was the result of a collective agreement with Unison and the other local trade unions.
As a Unison member, I would like you to supply me with the following information - so that I can see for myself exactly what happened in 2004.
1 I would like to know who signed and endorsed the Single Status Agreement in South Lanarkshire on behalf of Unison members - was this done by you or some other union official?
2 If Unison's agreement was given by an exchange of letters with the council, I would like a copy of this correspondence.
3 I would like a copy of the South Lanarkshire Single Status Agreement
4 I would like Unison to provide me with a copy of the Job Evaluation scores for all council jobs - so that I can see for myself how all posts (male and female) have been assessed and graded
5 I would like to know what the traditional male dominated jobs in South Lanarkshire have been paid since 2004 - i.e. the salary scales and pay rates for these jobs, not details of individual earnings. Unison must have access to this information since the trade unions negotiated the new salary scales when bonus payments ceased as part of the 2004 Single Status Agreement.
I believe that Unison has an obligation to provide me with this information on request, as part of the normal service and advice to members available under union rule.
I look forward to hearing from you soon
Yours sincerely
................................................
Signed
Contact details for Stephen:
Stephen Smellie
Branch Secretary
Unison
South Lanarkshire Council
23 Beckford Street
Hamilton
ML3 0BT
E-mail: slanarkunison@blueyonder.co.uk
Phone: 01698 454225
FAX: 01698 454219
But Stephen (a former left-wing firebrand and supporter of Militant - which grew into the Scottish Socialist Party) has been strangely quiet on the subject of Equal Pay.
As quiet as a mouse in fact - or even a Trappist Monk - because Stephen appears to have lost the ability to speak up for union members.
South Lanarkshire Council says that its Single Status pay structures were agreed by Unison and the other trade unions - but Stephen and his colleagues have remained silent while the row over Equal Pay and Single Status has raged in the press and media.
So, what is the position of Unison and the other trade unions - have they reached a collective agreement with the council and, if so, why are ordinary members being kept in the dark?
Here's a letter union members can send to their Unison branch secretary - which will help put Unison and the other trade unions on the spot. You just need to sign and date the letter after adding your address and post code.
To
Stephen Smellie
Unison Branch Secretary
South Lanarkshire Council
Address and date
Dear Stephen
South Lanarkshire Council - Single Status and Equal Pay
South Lanarkshire Council claims that the Single Status pay and grading structure introduced in 2004 was the result of a collective agreement with Unison and the other local trade unions.
As a Unison member, I would like you to supply me with the following information - so that I can see for myself exactly what happened in 2004.
1 I would like to know who signed and endorsed the Single Status Agreement in South Lanarkshire on behalf of Unison members - was this done by you or some other union official?
2 If Unison's agreement was given by an exchange of letters with the council, I would like a copy of this correspondence.
3 I would like a copy of the South Lanarkshire Single Status Agreement
4 I would like Unison to provide me with a copy of the Job Evaluation scores for all council jobs - so that I can see for myself how all posts (male and female) have been assessed and graded
5 I would like to know what the traditional male dominated jobs in South Lanarkshire have been paid since 2004 - i.e. the salary scales and pay rates for these jobs, not details of individual earnings. Unison must have access to this information since the trade unions negotiated the new salary scales when bonus payments ceased as part of the 2004 Single Status Agreement.
I believe that Unison has an obligation to provide me with this information on request, as part of the normal service and advice to members available under union rule.
I look forward to hearing from you soon
Yours sincerely
................................................
Signed
Contact details for Stephen:
Stephen Smellie
Branch Secretary
Unison
South Lanarkshire Council
23 Beckford Street
Hamilton
ML3 0BT
E-mail: slanarkunison@blueyonder.co.uk
Phone: 01698 454225
FAX: 01698 454219
