Glasgow - Readers' Comments
Readers of the blog site have had some harsh words for the trade unions during the fight for equal pay, but none more so than in Glasgow where local union leaders:
- Agreed to the introduction of the WPBR pay scheme back in 2006/07
- Rejected the advice of the national trade unions to use an approved job evaluation scheme (JES) - and instead allowed an external consultant to develop an in-house Glasgow scheme which the Court of Session has judged as 'not for for purpose
- Excluded thousands of employees with perfectly valid equal pay claims - Clerical Staff, School Janitors, Special Needs Drivers - from the 2005 financial compensation scheme
- Agreed with senior council officials to 'cap' the financial compensation scheme at just £9,000
- Agreed with senior council officials to exclude overtime working from the compensation scheme
Again mark a show of utter incompetence by the unions, it begs the question "do we the workers" actually need to be in any Union?
Well if you've followed A4ES over the last 10 years and been part of and witnessed the fight for equal pay then you'll no the short answer is No!
So my advice to the workforce today is don't waste ur money propping up these outdated delusional organizations that are not fit for purpose as they have proved over n over again!
L
Glasgow - Equal Pay Update (13/09/17)
Now here's an interesting document - one that might interest senior officials in Glasgow City Council, or at least those who claim to have little, if any, knowledge of the Council's controversial EDC pay scheme which gave a long-term guarantee on future earnings to male employees in bonus earning jobs.
According to this document Glasgow City Council established a high powered Joint Steering Group to oversee the operation of the EDC scheme which kept minutes of its meetings (as you would expect) and included representatives from every part of the Council: elected councillors, the chief executive's department, service departments and all of the trade unions (including Unison and GMB) were involved.
Mike Kirby from Unison was present at this particular meeting and Mike is now the union's regional secretary in Scotland.
So maybe Mike can help jog the City Council's memory about what deals were done to upgrade hundreds of male Gardener and Gravedigger jobs - while leaving all the female dominated jobs still stuck firmly at the bottom of the Council's pay ladder.
Does anyone in Glasgow really believe that senior officials of the City Council can't find this information - maybe they are just not looking hard enough or could it be that they are looking in the wrong places?
EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT COMMITMENT STEERING GROUP
NOTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 5 SEPTEMBER 2007
in Café George, Parish Hall
ATTENDEES:
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Elma Murray
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Chair
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Carol Ball
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UNISON
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Glenda McKendrick
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Chief Executive Dept
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Mike Kirby
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UNISON
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L Norwood/W Stewart
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DaCS
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John Murdoch
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UNISON
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David Halliday
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APAX
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Eddie Sneider
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GMB
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Martin Doran
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GMB
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Apologies were received from Councillor McKeown, Mary Brown (UCATT) and Janice Irvine.
E Murray opened the meeting in Councillor McKeown’s absence.
1. Notes of Previous Meeting and Matters Arising
1.1 The Note of the previous meeting was accepted.
1.2 Confirmation was asked for regarding point 1.3, Training for TU representatives, which Councillor McKeown was to raise with N Aird. E Murray advised that she would clarify action on this item and advise the group.
Action: Clarify with Councillor McKeown E Murray
1.3 Clarification was asked for regarding point 1.4, consistency of information being issued to staff when invited to attend Review proceedings. E Murray advised that she would ask I Drummond to raise at the next Governance Board meeting and issue a response to the group prior to the next meeting.
Action: Raise with I Drummond E Murray
2. PDP Paperwork - L Norwood/W Stewart, DaCS
L Norwood advised the group of how the PDP process is conducted within DaCS and W Stewart explained all aspects of the paperwork which has been developed in line with the corporate approach.
C Ball expressed some concern at the lack of preparation time which would be given to staff prior to a PDP meeting. She also pointed out that the DaCS paperwork has 4 levels of competency compared to the corporate 3 levels and asked if these points could be considered.
3. Council Wide Progress
E Murray explained the new format of the reports and the following points were discussed:
3.1 Based on the figures reported, the group asked for clarification of the actions being proposed. E Murray advised of the commitment given by the CMT that staff facing protection should have received a PDP before the end of this year. Details of development options and service reform for individuals are to be looked at with Services.
Concerns were expressed regarding the timescale, particularly within Education, as the PDP rollout is still taking place.
3.2 The issue of Review results taking as long as 6 weeks to be issued was raised.
Action: Raise with I Drummond E Murray
3.3 An issue was raised regarding 3 Parking Staff who lost their Review and have had no further contact from management. There was also a point made that within LES a restructure of Senior Management based on salary has taken place although some of those involved are awaiting Reviews.
Action: Clarify with R Booth E Murray
3.4 The group asked why the BS and CA Reviews have been postponed until November. E Murray advised that this is due to the previous reviews taking longer and to allow Services to begin these job families at the same time. C Ball expressed concern at this as Education is ready to proceed with reviews for these families.
300 reviews have already taken place for 7,000 staff, including group reviews.
1,600 reviews have still to be heard for 3,000 staff, a large number of which are individual reviews.
3.5 The group asked if the number of Reviews that have taken place could be updated for the next meeting.
Action: E Murray
3.6 The group asked if it is the intention for ongoing reviews to be heard by job family. E Murray advised that this is necessary to maintain the integrity of the WP&BR. A point was made that within Education someone had been advised at their Review that a review of the job was required.
4. Careers Scotland Progress
E Murray spoke to the report.
4.1 A point was made that the low take up of the Careers Scotland services may be due to staff perception that the service is to assist them in finding a job outwith the Council.
4.2 E Sneider asked for a demonstration of the mapping tool. G McKendrick invited him to attend the next Process Workshop scheduled for 20 September.
5. Schedule of meetings
The following dates have been scheduled:
12 December 2007
5 March 2008
5 June 2008
All at 2.30 pm in Café George.
Glasgow - Equal Pay News (12/09/17)
A kind reader from Glasgow has drawn an email from Unite to my attention in which the union apparently says some rather silly things about the Birmingham bin men's dispute.
If anyone can forward this Unite email on to me I'd be much obliged, because I'm a great believer in setting the record straight - especially when it comes to the role of the trade unions and the long fight for equal pay.
Hi Mark
Just to check have you heard about the email doing the rounds from Unite to Scottish members asking to support the Birmingham bin men? Apparently it's because A4E and Stefan Cross have caused them to lose wages. Uttter tosh me and the work mates haven't laughed so much in a long time. Union haven't lifted a finger to help our drivers (special needs) yet they've got the gall to circulate this to members.
M
Hi M
Yes, what a lot of old baloney - because it was the trade unions who looked after the interests of just a small section of the council workforce while ignoring all of the female dominated jobs and non-bonus earning jobs done by men, including special needs drivers and school janitors.
Complete hypocrites if you ask me and they should be ashamed of their behaviour - because that's not what trade unionism is about.
Regards
Mark
