Glenrothes By-Election
The Glenrothes by-election is being held on Thursday 4 November – and it looks like a two horse race between the SNP and Labour Party.
As usual, there will be public hustings and lots of other activities leading up to election-day.
So why not use any opportunity that comes your way to question the leading candidates on their views about equal pay.
The Labour candidate is Lindsay Roy, a local head teacher. Interesting thing is that all teachers in Scotland benefited from a generous pay deal back in 2001 – as a result of the McCrone Agreement.
Now this cost substantial sums of public money at the time – adding £800 million pounds to the pay bill - to fund a 23.5% pay increase for all teachers - which they’re still benefiting from to this day.
So, a good question for Lindsay Roy would be: “If you believe in fair pay for teachers, do you also support equal pay for low paid council staff - carers, cleaners, catering staff, clerical workers and classroom assistants?”
In 2001, the council employers and the government found the money to pay for the teachers improved pay package – so why are other council workers treated so differently when it comes to equal pay?
The SNP candidate is Peter Grant – leader of Fife Council which is now directly responsible for equal pay and for resolving all the outstanding claims.
Now it’s fair to point out that the SNP only took control of the council last year – in May 2007 – having wrestled control away from Labour which ran the council for years previously.
The SNP would no doubt say that their Labour opponents are to blame for not implementing the Single Status (Equal Pay) Agreement in 1999 – along with their chums in the trade unions – and that would be true.
But what’s also true is that someone has to sort out the mess – and the SNP are now in the driving seat – no one else.
So, a good question for Peter Grant would be: “What is the SNP doing to resolve all the outstanding equal pay cases in Fife – others might have created the mess, but the current SNP administration that has the responsibility of clearing it up?”
As usual, there will be public hustings and lots of other activities leading up to election-day.
So why not use any opportunity that comes your way to question the leading candidates on their views about equal pay.
The Labour candidate is Lindsay Roy, a local head teacher. Interesting thing is that all teachers in Scotland benefited from a generous pay deal back in 2001 – as a result of the McCrone Agreement.
Now this cost substantial sums of public money at the time – adding £800 million pounds to the pay bill - to fund a 23.5% pay increase for all teachers - which they’re still benefiting from to this day.
So, a good question for Lindsay Roy would be: “If you believe in fair pay for teachers, do you also support equal pay for low paid council staff - carers, cleaners, catering staff, clerical workers and classroom assistants?”
In 2001, the council employers and the government found the money to pay for the teachers improved pay package – so why are other council workers treated so differently when it comes to equal pay?
The SNP candidate is Peter Grant – leader of Fife Council which is now directly responsible for equal pay and for resolving all the outstanding claims.
Now it’s fair to point out that the SNP only took control of the council last year – in May 2007 – having wrestled control away from Labour which ran the council for years previously.
The SNP would no doubt say that their Labour opponents are to blame for not implementing the Single Status (Equal Pay) Agreement in 1999 – along with their chums in the trade unions – and that would be true.
But what’s also true is that someone has to sort out the mess – and the SNP are now in the driving seat – no one else.
So, a good question for Peter Grant would be: “What is the SNP doing to resolve all the outstanding equal pay cases in Fife – others might have created the mess, but the current SNP administration that has the responsibility of clearing it up?”
