Strike Action and Equal Pay
Here's a Facebook post raising a question that makes lots of Glasgow's equal pay claimants very frustrated and angry.
"How come Glasgow jannies got their dispute sorted quickly - they went on strike - we really need everyone to back strike action"
Now there is more involved in reaching a Council-wide agreement on equal pay and replacing the WPBR - than there was in resolving the long-running Glasgow janitors' dispute.
But a strike gets lots of attention and so Glasgow's councillors, MSPs and MPs need to be asking themselves:
"If settlement negotiations with the City Council talks are making such good progress, why do the trade unions (Unison and GMB) think it necessary to consult their members on taking industrial action?"
Get Serious, Glasgow! (03/05/18)
Lots of readers have been in touch with comments and questions about the industrial action ballots in support of the fight with Glasgow City Council for equal pay - here's what Stefan and I had to say on Facebook.
Hi Mark
What is the opinion of A4ES on the Strike Ballot papers issued to all Unison members.
Would striking be recommended by yourselves?
J
Hi J
Hi J
It's a consultative ballot rather than an official strike ballot, at this stage, and the purpose is to test the level of support for taking industrial action, if the City Council continues to drag its feet over settlement negotiations and replacing WPBR.
So I would certainly encourage people to vote Yes!
Because by doing so they will send a strong message to the Council to 'get its finger out'!
Mark Irvine
Hi Mark
Hi Mark
That's exactly my thoughts as well. So fed up with the council and their delaying tactics and not progressing with the actual settlement negotiations.
Thanks for the clarification.
J
HELL YES!
HELL YES!
several folk have asked how I would vote in the ballot.
Easy - YES!
why? :
1 time to stand up and be counted
2 it has already made the council sit up and take notice. The threat of an imposed interim payment has been taken off the agenda for the moment and the council are finally looking at our proposals seriously
3 the council read out a prepared statement objecting - I will cover this when I have exact wording. Your industrial and political weight is making all the difference. We need to keep this up
4 a consultative ballot commits us to nothing but shows we’re serious. There’s a long way to go to an actual strike. This is just the first essential step.
5. The council literally laughed at suggestion they will produce counter proposal by 22nd. There is still no sense of urgency from the officers. They need to get serious. The ballot will help.
Your biggest weapon is your solidarity.
'Vote early, vote often' says Stefan Cross in this Facebook post - and in the process send a message to Glasgow City Council to 'get serious' in the equal pay settlement negotiations which have proceeded at a snail's pace up till now.
The claimants demands are fair, reasonable and long overdue - and it's a terrible indictment of the City Council that thousands of low paid women workers are having to consider taking strike action to enforce their rights to equal pay.
'Get serious about compensating equal pay claimants for 11 years (and counting) of the Council's discredited, 'unfit for purpose' WPBR and agree to introduce a new job evaluation scheme which is open, transparent and commands the support of the workforce'.
VOTE VOTE VOTE!
As you probably know UNISON and soon GMB will be conducting consultative ballots on possible strike action or action short of a strike.
These are NOT strike ballots. They are to test the level of support for such action. Whenever I post on here folk jump in and call for a strike. Do they speak for the majority or are the lone but load voices? This is how we find out.
It is essential as many folk vote as possible and in my view support action. If we can’t get support in a consultation we have no chance in a real ballot. If we look weak and divided we play into the employers hands. They might say the men will strike but the women won’t.
If we look strong, United an angry the council are more likely to take notice. If it’s weak and divided then going back to tribunal becomes more inevitable with all the delay and cost.
So don’t ignore the ballots. Participate and let the council hear you.
Glasgow - Equal Pay Update (27/04/18)
So the stakes have been raised yet again in the fight for equal pay in Glasgow with the news that the Unison Glasgow City Branch is to conduct an consultative strike ballot.
Here's the formal announcement from Unison and I believe that the GMB are to carry out a similar exercise over the month of May as well.
I'm sure the next few weeks of the campaign will be critical and the more people who get involved the better the outcome for all concerned - the message to the Council is:
'Get serious about compensating equal pay claimants for 11 years (and counting) of the Council's discredited, 'unfit for purpose' WPBR and agree to introduce a new job evaluation scheme which is open, transparent and commands the support of the workforce'.
Equal Pay - UNISON consultative strike ballots.
The Court of Session ruled last year on Glasgow City Council’s unequal pay system and inadequate current job evaluation scheme. Scotland’s top judges could not have been clearer – the council do not have a valid pay system. Many workers in the council and its arm’s length external organisations (ALEOs) have been discriminated against since 2006 when the Workforce Pay and Benefits Review (WPBR) was implemented. Most of these workers are women, many low paid.
Nearly five months into a series of meetings with the trade unions and Action4Equality the council have still not made any concrete moves to resolve the past pay discrimination - lots of words, no action!
The council also still refuse to accept that the current WPBR job evaluation and pay scheme has to be replaced moving forward, and all jobs re-evaluated with an equality-proofed scheme.
The council also need to commit more money to the total council pay bill moving forward - no robbing “Peter to pay Pauline”!
UNISON wants:
• The individual claimants compensated for past discrimination as soon as possible.
• A new job evaluation scheme which delivers pay equality and pay justice for all.
• The council to commit funding to ensure pay equality, justice and security for all.
UNISON is now calling on all members to increase the pressure on the council by voting for, and if necessary, taking strike action.
All 10,200 UNISON members in Glasgow City Council and its ALEOs will receive consultative ballot papers from Monday 30 April. Papers should be returned by Wednesday 30 May.
These consultative ballots will be used to build towards formal ballots if required.
Equal Pay and Pay Justice NOW…!
Vote YES to Strike Action…!
