Pay Freezes and Hell Freezes
Today’s newspapers are full of angry quotes from union leaders about a possible pay freeze for Scotland’s council workers.
COSLA, the Scottish employers’ organisation, has suggested a 5-year pay freeze might be needed because of the recession – and the expected cuts in financial support from central government.
Now this 5 year business will never happen – but nonetheless it’s the opening two-step in a ritual dance – that the employers’ and unions’ engage in from time to time.
The employers’ say ‘white’ and the unions say ‘black’.
The employers’ say: “Oh yes we will!”, and the unions say: “Oh no you won’t!” – and then things trundle forward for a while – everyone talking, but no one listening.
The big guns from the unions get wheeled out to say that a pay freeze for even 1 year is unthinkable – never mind 5!
And anyway how can the nasty employers even dream of harming the interests of low paid cooks, cleaners, care workers and clerical staff?
Now all of this is harmless enough – in many ways – because it’s what people expect – a bit of old fashioned Punch and Judy style industrial relations.
But what is interesting is that the low paid cooks, cleaners, care workers and clerical staff – have all been low paid for the past ten years and more.
In many cases these largely female jobs have lost out – big time – with traditional male jobs routinely being paid 50% more than the women.
For years a low paid cook, cleaner, carer and clerical worker were paid only £6 an hour – while refuse workers, gardeners and road workers were being paid £9 an hour – half as much again.
And when in the past 10 years have you heard union leaders saying - and really meaning - that pay discrimination in Scotland’s councils is completely unacceptable?
That it will not stand – that the unions will confront the issue head on – using all their money, power and resources.
The reality is that the trade unions actually negotiated these more favourable pay arrangements for traditional male groups – the employers’ didn’t do it all by themselves.
So, our advice is to take all the angry rhetoric with a big pinch of salt – hell could well freeze over - before the unions’ finally ride to the rescue of low paid cooks, cleaners, carers and clerical workers.
COSLA, the Scottish employers’ organisation, has suggested a 5-year pay freeze might be needed because of the recession – and the expected cuts in financial support from central government.
Now this 5 year business will never happen – but nonetheless it’s the opening two-step in a ritual dance – that the employers’ and unions’ engage in from time to time.
The employers’ say ‘white’ and the unions say ‘black’.
The employers’ say: “Oh yes we will!”, and the unions say: “Oh no you won’t!” – and then things trundle forward for a while – everyone talking, but no one listening.
The big guns from the unions get wheeled out to say that a pay freeze for even 1 year is unthinkable – never mind 5!
And anyway how can the nasty employers even dream of harming the interests of low paid cooks, cleaners, care workers and clerical staff?
Now all of this is harmless enough – in many ways – because it’s what people expect – a bit of old fashioned Punch and Judy style industrial relations.
But what is interesting is that the low paid cooks, cleaners, care workers and clerical staff – have all been low paid for the past ten years and more.
In many cases these largely female jobs have lost out – big time – with traditional male jobs routinely being paid 50% more than the women.
For years a low paid cook, cleaner, carer and clerical worker were paid only £6 an hour – while refuse workers, gardeners and road workers were being paid £9 an hour – half as much again.
And when in the past 10 years have you heard union leaders saying - and really meaning - that pay discrimination in Scotland’s councils is completely unacceptable?
That it will not stand – that the unions will confront the issue head on – using all their money, power and resources.
The reality is that the trade unions actually negotiated these more favourable pay arrangements for traditional male groups – the employers’ didn’t do it all by themselves.
So, our advice is to take all the angry rhetoric with a big pinch of salt – hell could well freeze over - before the unions’ finally ride to the rescue of low paid cooks, cleaners, carers and clerical workers.
