Glasgow - One Year On!
I think it's fair to say that Glasgow's fight for equal pay has been something of a rollercoaster - one minute you're up and the next minute you're down.
But looking back we've come a long way since this time last year when a settlement agreement with the Council was still very much in the balance.
Glasgow's Fight for Equal Pay (18/11/18)
Here's an interesting news story from 'Glasgow Live' which reports that the Scottish Government is directly involved in drawing up a Fair Work Charter for Severe Weather.
Now that seems like a good idea to me, but compare this to the Scottish Government's approach to equal pay which has been very much 'hands off' and 'nothing to do with me guv'.
Here's a typical response claimants in Glasgow received from the Scottish Government after raising the issue of equal pay with the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon (see post below dated 24/04/18).
Dear M
Thank you for your email of 8 March to the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon MSP, regarding the settlement of outstanding equal pay claims by the City of Glasgow Council. I have been asked to reply.
Councils are independent of the Scottish Government and are responsible for meeting their legal obligations to their employees, including those on equal pay. Ministers therefore cannot force councils to settle equal pay claims. However, Ministers have repeatedly made clear that delays by councils in settling equal pay claims are completely unacceptable.
Following the resolution of outstanding legal action last year we understand the council has been meeting Trade Unions to negotiate a settlement. Whilst the Scottish Government cannot intervene directly the First Minister said at the SNP conference on 10 October that equal pay will be delivered for women council workers in Glasgow. We hope the Council and Trade Unions will reach agreement and resolve all outstanding claims soon.
I hope this reply is helpful.
Yours sincerely
Anthony Romain
Councils are independent of the Scottish Government and are responsible for meeting their legal obligations to their employees, including those on equal pay. Ministers therefore cannot force councils to settle equal pay claims. However, Ministers have repeatedly made clear that delays by councils in settling equal pay claims are completely unacceptable.
Following the resolution of outstanding legal action last year we understand the council has been meeting Trade Unions to negotiate a settlement. Whilst the Scottish Government cannot intervene directly the First Minister said at the SNP conference on 10 October that equal pay will be delivered for women council workers in Glasgow. We hope the Council and Trade Unions will reach agreement and resolve all outstanding claims soon.
I hope this reply is helpful.
Yours sincerely
Anthony Romain
The difference is like 'night and day', I would say, and there are plenty more examples of politicians trying to keep their distance over a much bigger issue such as the fight for equal pay.
For example, every one of Glasgow's local constituency MSPs was absent from the March and Rally in support of equal pay on 23 October 2018.
So let's see what happens in the run up to Christmas 2018 because if there is not a settlement, in principle, of Glasgow's long running dispute the issue of equal pay is going to be back up to the top of the political agenda.
https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/new-rules-been-brought-glasgow-15423788?
New rules have been brought in for Glasgow workers during extreme weather
The Scottish Government's Fair Work Charter for Severe Weather has been developed in response to concerns raised following the 'Beast from the East' snowstorm earlier this year.
By - Magdalene Dalziel - Glasgow Live
People walk along the roadway at Great Western Road (Image: Kirk O'Rourke/PA Wire)
A new charter has been launched in a bid to establish fairer conditions for workers during adverse weather spells.
The Scottish Government guidelines have been developed in response to concerns raised in the aftermath of the 'Beast from the East' snowstorm earlier this year.
The Fair Work Charter for Severe Weather provides principles which help employers make contingency plans for the future - including the recommendation that all employers have a severe weather policy.
Economy and Fair Work Secretary Derek Mackay said: "During the extreme weather last winter, most employers made sensible and responsible decisions regarding their workers.
"While many businesses faced challenges, we were encouraged by the flexibility provided to staff.
"However, not all employers had severe weather policies to ensure workers understood what is expected. This is why we have developed this charter, because fair work is good for workers, good for employers and good for Scotland.
"We look forward to continuing our dialogue with employer organisations to get the Severe Weather Charter into every workplace in Scotland. It offers a sensible and responsible approach to balancing the safety of workers with service delivery when the weather strikes hard."
Created in partnership with the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), in collaboration with the STUC, the charter has been designed using contributions by employer organisations.
Grahame Smith, General Secretary of the STUC, added: "Our extreme weather survey revealed major concerns in many sectors. We were heartened by the efforts of workers to keep essential services operating, but also how they organised together within their unions to expose bad practice, including forcing workers to travel in dangerous conditions and denying pay to those who were unable to get into work.
"We are glad these guidelines encourage employers to engage with workers to develop clear, pro-active policies and procedures for future periods of extreme weather. We urge all employers to recognise trade unions and give adequate facility time to Health and Safety Reps. Our survey clearly showed that trade union membership and collective bargaining is an important factor in determining how satisfied workers are with employer behaviour in difficult conditions."
A new charter has been launched in a bid to establish fairer conditions for workers during adverse weather spells.
The Scottish Government guidelines have been developed in response to concerns raised in the aftermath of the 'Beast from the East' snowstorm earlier this year.
The Fair Work Charter for Severe Weather provides principles which help employers make contingency plans for the future - including the recommendation that all employers have a severe weather policy.
Economy and Fair Work Secretary Derek Mackay said: "During the extreme weather last winter, most employers made sensible and responsible decisions regarding their workers.
"While many businesses faced challenges, we were encouraged by the flexibility provided to staff.
"However, not all employers had severe weather policies to ensure workers understood what is expected. This is why we have developed this charter, because fair work is good for workers, good for employers and good for Scotland.
"We look forward to continuing our dialogue with employer organisations to get the Severe Weather Charter into every workplace in Scotland. It offers a sensible and responsible approach to balancing the safety of workers with service delivery when the weather strikes hard."
Created in partnership with the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), in collaboration with the STUC, the charter has been designed using contributions by employer organisations.
Grahame Smith, General Secretary of the STUC, added: "Our extreme weather survey revealed major concerns in many sectors. We were heartened by the efforts of workers to keep essential services operating, but also how they organised together within their unions to expose bad practice, including forcing workers to travel in dangerous conditions and denying pay to those who were unable to get into work.
"We are glad these guidelines encourage employers to engage with workers to develop clear, pro-active policies and procedures for future periods of extreme weather. We urge all employers to recognise trade unions and give adequate facility time to Health and Safety Reps. Our survey clearly showed that trade union membership and collective bargaining is an important factor in determining how satisfied workers are with employer behaviour in difficult conditions."
First Minister and Equal Pay (24/04/18)
I am a fan of the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, especially after her speech on equal pay at last year's SNP conference in Glasgow.
Equal pay claimants have been writing to the First Minister recently to express their concern about the painfully slow progress in settlement negotiations with the City Council and are receiving a standard response like the one below.
Dear M
Thank you for your email of 8 March to the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon MSP, regarding the settlement of outstanding equal pay claims by the City of Glasgow Council. I have been asked to reply.
Councils are independent of the Scottish Government and are responsible for meeting their legal obligations to their employees, including those on equal pay. Ministers therefore cannot force councils to settle equal pay claims. However, Ministers have repeatedly made clear that delays by councils in settling equal pay claims are completely unacceptable.
Following the resolution of outstanding legal action last year we understand the council has been meeting Trade Unions to negotiate a settlement. Whilst the Scottish Government cannot intervene directly the First Minister said at the SNP conference on 10 October that equal pay will be delivered for women council workers in Glasgow. We hope the Council and Trade Unions will reach agreement and resolve all outstanding claims soon.
I hope this reply is helpful.
Yours sincerely
Anthony Romain
Local Government Division and Analytical Services Division
Now this strikes me as 'Yes Minister' response because the civil servant who wrote this letter doesn't seem to know that Action 4 Equality Scotland, GMB and Unison are all involved in the settlement negotiations with Glasgow City Council.
A point of detail, perhaps, but civil servants are supposed to be very strong on detail, so who knows what's going on.
In any event, the real issue is nonsensical line that "Councils are independent of the Scottish Government......yadda, yada yada".
Because the point is not that people expect the First Minister, or any other politician, to storm the City Chambers and seize the levers of power.
Instead the point is that the First Minister and other Glasgow politicians are perfectly free to speak their mind and speak up on behalf of their local constituents - about the 'unfit for purpose' WPBR pay scheme or its blatantly discriminatory 37 hour 'rule', for example.
Councils are independent of the Scottish Government and are responsible for meeting their legal obligations to their employees, including those on equal pay. Ministers therefore cannot force councils to settle equal pay claims. However, Ministers have repeatedly made clear that delays by councils in settling equal pay claims are completely unacceptable.
Following the resolution of outstanding legal action last year we understand the council has been meeting Trade Unions to negotiate a settlement. Whilst the Scottish Government cannot intervene directly the First Minister said at the SNP conference on 10 October that equal pay will be delivered for women council workers in Glasgow. We hope the Council and Trade Unions will reach agreement and resolve all outstanding claims soon.
I hope this reply is helpful.
Yours sincerely
Anthony Romain
Local Government Division and Analytical Services Division
Now this strikes me as 'Yes Minister' response because the civil servant who wrote this letter doesn't seem to know that Action 4 Equality Scotland, GMB and Unison are all involved in the settlement negotiations with Glasgow City Council.
A point of detail, perhaps, but civil servants are supposed to be very strong on detail, so who knows what's going on.
In any event, the real issue is nonsensical line that "Councils are independent of the Scottish Government......yadda, yada yada".
Because the point is not that people expect the First Minister, or any other politician, to storm the City Chambers and seize the levers of power.
Instead the point is that the First Minister and other Glasgow politicians are perfectly free to speak their mind and speak up on behalf of their local constituents - about the 'unfit for purpose' WPBR pay scheme or its blatantly discriminatory 37 hour 'rule', for example.
Now Glasgow's politicians comment publicly on all kinds of things, as they should, on a daily basis and the fight for equal pay in Glasgow is no different, especially as this struggle is taking place in their own backyard.
Yet they seem strangely reluctant to say a great deal even though blatant examples of pay discrimination are occurring every day right under their own noses.
So over the next few weeks (in the run up to 22 May) we should aim to bring out the 'Wild Bunch' side of their personalities because for far too long they've been the 'Quiet Bunch', sitting on the sidelines as spectators.
First Minister and Equal Pay (21/04/18)
Here's an excellent and heartfelt letter which a long-serving Home Carer has written to the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, about the fight for equal pay in Glasgow.
Dear Nicola.
As a woman working in a mainly dominated male environment and getting to the top slot in your chosen profession, I find it so frustrating to see the Scottish Parliament is allowing a long drawn out equal pay claim from GCC.
After having seen the salaries these officials are handing out to each other, what is the SNP going to do about a clear abuse of power in the biggest council in Scotland.
I have been a SNP voter since Margo Mcdonald won Govan in the 60s.
What powers if any, do the elected counsellors have in running GCC.
Having looked at the shambles the officials have created since 2005, if they were employed in the private sector they would have all been sacked for causing their company all the expense that was just disgraceful management in their part.
These officials who are giving themselves these massive pay rises plus pension increases are using the council as their own personal bank.
I have to wonder are there any grounds for the fraud squad to have a look at what they have been up to for years.
I would like to think that as the first minister you could do something to help out all these ordinary working women who are at an age where some of them have actually died awaiting a pay out from these council Oligarths.
So please please help us Nicola we need you.
YOURS SINCERELY
G
Existing Cordia Worker For 22yrs
Now I can't say that I see any grounds for the 'fraud squad' to intervene, but I do take G's well made point that if this had happened in the private sector some of the people involved in Glasgow's decade long equal pay scandal would have paid a heavy price by now.
So I hope G's letter will inspire others to contact their local councillors, MSPs and MPs in the run up to the next settlement meeting with the City Council on 22 May 2018.
Believe me politicians do take these kind of letters seriously and the more people who take the time and trouble to state their case honestly and sincerely - the better it will be for all concerned.
One suggestion I would make is that a group of equal pay claimants from Nicola Sturgeon's local constituency (Glasgow Southside) should get together and ask Nicola for a meeting as the local MSP.
I don't expect Nicola Sturgeon or any other Glasgow politician to barge in somewhere they don't belong.
But Glasgow's politicians are entitled to speak out on important issues on behalf of their local constituents including:
- Glasgow City Council's discredited WPBR pay scheme which Scotland's highest civl court, the Court of Session, has condemned as 'unfit for purpose'
- The WPBR's bogus 37 hour 'rule' which was deliberately designed to disadvantage female dominated jobs in Cordia and elsewhere within the Council
- The nonsense of senior officials refusing to disclose vital information on the WPBR because this might cost Scotland's largest council more than £600.
So let's hope that Nicola and other Glasgow politicians come off the fence, find their voice and start to speak up on behalf of local constituents who have been treated as second class citizens for years.
