The Fight for Equal Pay in Glasgow
Stefan Cross posted this 'Glasgow Update' on Facebook late last night to which I would add only two points.
The first is that none of this would have happened without Stefan Cross and A4ES - because when Action 4 Equality Scotland arrived on the scene (back in August 2005) there was no fight for equal pay in Glasgow.
In fact, the City Council's bosses effectively told us at the time that 'GLASGOW HAS NO EQUAL PAY PROBLEM' and that Action 4 Equality Scotland was barking up the wrong tree!
Yet within months senior council officials were holding urgent meetings across Glasgow where they encouraged and 'conned' the council's lowest paid workers (mainly women) into accepting lousy offers of settlement - in the run-up to Christmas 2005 - attended by lots of lawyers who were recruited by and paid for by the City Council.
Lots of employees were left out of this hasty settlement process and the lousy offers were 'capped', but many people accepted because they knew no better and were really left to fend for themselves - although those who joined top with A4ES received a much better deal.
The City Council then brought in a completely new job evaluation scheme (JES) and new pay arrangements in double quick time which became known as the WPBR and which was introduced in January 2007.
The WPBR was challenged by A4ES, initially on its own though Unison later joined in, and was torn to pieces at the Court of Session, Scotland's highest civil court, which described the scheme as 'unfit for purpose'.
So we are, in some senses at least, back to where things were in 2007 with perhaps one big difference - the trade unions now recognise the leading role A4ES has played and that we represent a big majority (80%) of the equal pay claimants in Glasgow.
Which explains why we are now working well with Unison in Glasgow and, potentially, with the GMB as well with the aim of achieving a positive outcome to this long running dispute.
Because we are all looking forward in 2018 rather than dwell on the unions' behaviour in the past and things will remain that way unless folks start trying to claim credit for things that are not down to them - which I can attest to as the former Head of Local Government for Unison in Scotland and the trade unions' chief negotiator with COSLA.
The second point I wanted to address is what Stefan had to say about Facebook and modern communications because that is the other big change since 2005-2007 - the ability of people to access information and mobilise quickly, in defence of their own interests.
Ten and twelve years ago the workforce were treated like fools and kept in the dark, but now thanks to Facebook, Twitter, mobile phones and email - people can organise and campaign like never before.
Which is all to the good if you ask me, because it means that the final resolution to this dispute will involve the people who have been directly affected and lost out all these years.
In other words - the equal pay genie is out of the bottle and is not going back in.
BIG THANKS
I just wanted to say particular thanks to 4 people.
I just wanted to say particular thanks to 4 people.
First MARK IRVINE. obviously mark has been working on the cases for years but today was the culmination of a plan Mark and I agreed over 18 months ago after we were rebuffed by Big Frank. We had always been politically neutral (ish) but we decided then to actively seek SNP support. This lead to SNP making manifesto promises before the last elections and before either COS appeal. It’s great when a plan comes together but he was the one able to turn the plan into reality.
Second Susan Aitken - it was touch and go during the autumn but there is no doubt that today she kept her promises. We have lots we can, and probably will, fall out about in the negotiations, but it’s to her enormous credit that today she delivered against officers wishes.
Third Frances Mowat Stojilkovic. A true 21st century suffragette. I bloody love her. Not just her hours of hard work but She has been the link between all the different interest groups, lawyers, unions and councillors. Not an easy bunch to deal with I admit but I think it’s safe to say she was someone we could all trust, and she delivered.
Fourth, and the one left field thank you. MARK ZUCKERBERG. The creator of Facebook. I believe Facebook has transformed this campaign and enabled us to keep in touch and keep up the pressure like never before. I love the fact that you can all get in touch with me and vice versa. It’s all of you that have been at the heart of this fight but this group is something new and wonderful. So THANK YOU ALL.
ENJOY today. Back to the hard slog tomorrow.
