Spineless Jellyfish

Here's a previous post from the blog site - on the campaign to get Edinburgh City Council to face up to its obligations on equal pay.

A similar pantomime is now being played out in North Lanarkshire - where the arguments are exactly the same as in Edinburgh - yet North Lanarkshire council still has its head stuck in the sand - after years of hiding behind the Edinburgh 'Wilkinson' case.

Instead of responding candidly to people's comments and queries - North Lanarkshire has sent out essentially the same 'standard letter'.

Initially in the name of a senior council official and then in the name of the Labour council leader - Jim McCabe.

But either way the council is deliberately missing the point - by trying to suggest it has no option but to continue sticking in the sand - and its bum in the air.   

So if I were one of the people who has been given the big brush off in North Lanarkshire.

I would be telling the council leader - that the council's response is a huge disappointment which flies in the face of all the facts.

I suspect that other councillors - and MSPs - in North Lanarkshire will be interested in what their constituents have to say - in the run up to the local council elections in May.

The present lot in charge may have lost the plot - but this is a unique opportunity to hold the council to account - and insist that North Lanarkshire does the right thing by settling these outstanding cases.  

Spineless in Edinburgh (19 December 2011)

Readers from Edinburgh continue to send me examples of elected councillors - trying to wash their hands of the City Council's handling of the equal pay debacle.

As regular readers will know - the same council leadership that brought us the Edinburgh trams - is trying to defend the indefensible when it comes to equal pay claims from former APT&C workers - former white collar workers like social care workers, classroom assistants and catering managers.

To be completely fair it's not just the present City Council leadership - because the issue goes back to when Edinburgh was under Labour control - but the present lot are in the driving seat now and need to take responsibility for what is happening.

And what is happening is a disgrace - the City Council's argument (that former APT&C workers have no case) has been soundly thrashed not just once but three times - at the Employment Tribunal, the Employment Appeal Tribunal and in Scotland's highest civil court - the Court of Session - where three senior Scottish judges said that Edinburgh City Council is completely wrong.

In theory the City Council can appeal to the UK Supreme Court - and has until January 2012 to make up its mind - but if it does appeal it will be a complete and a further of time and public money.

In the meantime, the leadership of the City Council is telling people who raise the issue with them - 'nothing to do with me, you'll get a reply from some senior council official who'll answer your questions'.

What a cheek - is this what democracy in Scottish local government has come to - elected councillors hiding behind highly paid council officials - instead of standing up, explaining their views and taking responsibility for their actions?

I would refuse to be fobbed off or take NO - for an answer.

So if you get a 'nothing to do with me response, then write back and say how disappointed you are - take the issue up with your own local councillor - and ask them how they can expect your vote in next year's council elections - if people behave in such a spineless manner.

Edinburgh City Council - along with all councils in Scotland - faces local elections in May 2012.

So this is a perfect opportunity to put your own councillor and the City Council leadership on the spot - by asking where they stand.