Union City Blues
Bumped into Mike Kirby in Glasgow the other day – had the look of a worried man, but then he’s got a lot to be worried about these days.
Mike is the Scottish Convener (senior elected lay member) of Unison – a position Mike has held continuously since 1993 - when the new union was formed by a merger of its three predecessors - COHSE, NALGO and NUPE.
For all of these 16 long years, Unison (Scotland) has failed to elect a woman as its Convener – despite the fact that women make up the great majority (over two thirds) of its membership.
How odd, but maybe that helps to explain why the union can’t see the wood for the trees when it comes to equal pay.
Mike is also a big cheese (and permanent fixture) in the Glasgow City Council Unison branch – the largest branch in the country.
But ordinary members in Glasgow are increasingly perplexed at their union’s craven attitude towards the council’s in-house job evaluation scheme – or Workforce Pay and Benefits Review (WPBR), as it’s known locally – see post dated 25 January 2009.
Some say that Unison has lost its mojo in Glasgow – its old fighting, campaigning spirit.
Remember, this is the same union branch that actively encouraged low paid women members to accept poor settlement offers from the city council in 2005 – a truly shameful episode.
So, let’s hope things start to turn round in 2009 because – when it comes to equal pay – Unison members in Glasgow have nothing to lose but their chains!
Mike is the Scottish Convener (senior elected lay member) of Unison – a position Mike has held continuously since 1993 - when the new union was formed by a merger of its three predecessors - COHSE, NALGO and NUPE.
For all of these 16 long years, Unison (Scotland) has failed to elect a woman as its Convener – despite the fact that women make up the great majority (over two thirds) of its membership.
How odd, but maybe that helps to explain why the union can’t see the wood for the trees when it comes to equal pay.
Mike is also a big cheese (and permanent fixture) in the Glasgow City Council Unison branch – the largest branch in the country.
But ordinary members in Glasgow are increasingly perplexed at their union’s craven attitude towards the council’s in-house job evaluation scheme – or Workforce Pay and Benefits Review (WPBR), as it’s known locally – see post dated 25 January 2009.
Some say that Unison has lost its mojo in Glasgow – its old fighting, campaigning spirit.
Remember, this is the same union branch that actively encouraged low paid women members to accept poor settlement offers from the city council in 2005 – a truly shameful episode.
So, let’s hope things start to turn round in 2009 because – when it comes to equal pay – Unison members in Glasgow have nothing to lose but their chains!
