Glasgow's Fight for Equal Pay
I've had lots of comments from Glasgow claimants who are frustrated at the slow progress in resolving their ongoing equal pay claims with Glasgow City Council.
As regular readers know, the Council originally agreed to scrap its 'unfit for purpose' WPBR pay arrangements and replace the WPBR with a completely new job evaluation (JE) scheme.
But this is clearly not going to happen by the agreed deadline of April 2021 and at the rate things are going a final settlement to this long-running dispute could be many months, if not years, away.
So what happens next?
Glasgow's Fight For Equal Pay (22/011/21)
The campaign launched by Glasgow's home carers over regular Covid testing should give the rest of the workforce encouragement in their ongoing fight for equal pay with Glasgow City Council (GCC).
The truth is there's really nothing to stop GCC from sitting down now with the Claimant Organisations to negotiate a settlement of all the outstanding equal pay cases.
Because the ongoing claims all relate to Glasgow's 'unfit for purpose' WPBR pay arrangements and do not rely upon the introduction of a completely new job evaluation (JE) which, as regular readers know, has been seriously delayed as a result of Covid-19.
So if GCC politicians and officials keep dragging their feet the home carers and the rest of the workforce know exactly what to do - don't be fobbed off with excuses.
Glasgow Home Carers On A High (18/01/21)
Glasgow's Home Carers must be on a high at the news they have reached a settlement in their dispute with GCC and the Scottish Government over regular Covid testing.
Now it should never have come to this if you ask me, but it just goes to show what can be achieved when the workforce takes a united stand.
Glasgow - Industrial Action Looms (18/01/21)
At the start of the Coronavirus outbreak back in March/April 2020 Glasgow’s home carers faced a huge battle with their employer and Scottish Ministers just to be issued with face masks to protect themselves and their vulnerable clients.
The Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council both insisted that face coverings were not necessary, even though it made obvious sense to be 'better safe than sorry'.
The Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council both insisted that face coverings were not necessary, even though it made obvious sense to be 'better safe than sorry'.
I know this because I said so myself on the blog at the time (see post below dated 8 April 2020).
Since last spring scientists have confirmed that around a third of people who catch Covid-19 do not show any symptoms and are therefor spreading the disease as they go about their normal, everyday business.
Yet Glasgow's home carers now have a similar fight on their hands over regular Covid testing and feel they have no option but to go on strike to be heard.
Since last spring scientists have confirmed that around a third of people who catch Covid-19 do not show any symptoms and are therefor spreading the disease as they go about their normal, everyday business.
Yet Glasgow's home carers now have a similar fight on their hands over regular Covid testing and feel they have no option but to go on strike to be heard.
Which is scandalous if you ask me because routine Covid testing is provided to other groups of key workers - not forgetting the fact that Scottish Ministers pulled out all the stops on additional testing to get university students home safely for Christmas 2020.
So why are Glasgow's home carers being treated so shabbily - like second class citizens?
Better Safe Than Sorry (08/04/20)
The Scottish Government's official advice to Home Care staff is to wear a face mask only if a client is suspected to be, or is confirmed to be, Covid-19 positive.
The official advice goes on to say:
"Where the person is neither suspected to be, nor confirmed as COVID positive, care at home staff carrying out personal care should wear what they have always worn – that is, an apron and gloves; and no mask.
"This applies regardless of the 2m distance. The same would apply to a community nurse visiting the same client: they too would wear gloves and apron, and no mask.
"Furthermore, home care workers and community staff going into people’s houses should only wear a mask when they suspect the person has COVID, and they cannot keep a 2m distance.
"If this is not suspected – or if they can keep a 2m distance – then they do not need to wear a mask."
What puzzles me is how individual carers are supposed to know the state of every client's health before going into their homes - and how is it even possible for Home Carers to keep 2 metres distance from vulnerable clients whom they are helping to keep out of hospital?
So why not put everyone's safety first - the safety of both the carers and their clients - by ensuring that the official advice is changed and that face masks are worn until further notice, as a matter of course.
So why not put everyone's safety first - the safety of both the carers and their clients - by ensuring that the official advice is changed and that face masks are worn until further notice, as a matter of course.
After all these are very scary and unprecedented times and if the carers feel safer - their clients are bound to feel the benefit as well.
https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/18361679.glasgow-home-care-service-accused-not-using-ppe/?
Glasgow home care service Cordia accused of not providing PPE for care workers
By Catherine Hunter - Evening Times
A GLASGOW care service has disputed claims that staff are not being provided with protective equipment as they carry out home visits to vulnerable people.
Cordia, which is delivered by the City Council under the management of Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership has been accused of not providing enough PPE (personal protective equipment) by worried Glaswegians.
Some members of the public say they have spotted staff going into homes without adequate PPE.
One concerned constituent, who doesn’t want to be identified, said: “I have a family member who works as a carer for Cordia.
“She was promised she would have protective equipment supplied as she has to care for elderly patients which also means going into their house.
“She has not been provided with a mask, gloves, hand sanitizer and was given only three aprons. She works seven days on and seven days off.
“How are three aprons going to last? She is in her mid-50s and is at an increased risk because of this.
“Cordia and putting the lives of their carer staff at risk as they are not providing the necessary equipment. I am extremely worried for my family member.”
Glasgow’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) has confirmed that they are following all the guidelines issues by Public Health Scotland by providing enough equipment.
No member of staff should be working without the protection that is appropriate for their role.
A spokesman said: "Glasgow HSCP is following guidelines issued by Public Health Scotland in providing staff with the appropriate PPE equipment required to safely carry out their duties in the community.
"There is currently sufficient supply of PPE so that no member of HSCP staff should be working without the protection that is appropriate for their role.
Glasgow - Things Are Heating Up (18/12/20)
Well things are certainly heating up in Glasgow as we head towards another New Year.
The GMB union has been consulting its members on industrial action in recent days after Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government rejected their pleas to speed up regular Covid testing for Home Care workers.
Now I hear that Unison is consulting its Glasgow members as well which is hardly surprising, inevitable really.
Because Scottish Ministers pulled out the stops to get university students home safely for Christmas - yet thousands of front line Home Carers in Glasgow are being told to wait until some unspecified time in 2021.
I have to say I expect the same thing to happen over equal pay and job evaluation (JE).
The City Council is committed to a further round of settlements by April 2021, but all the signs are that they are going to try and drag things out into 2022 - or beyond into 2023.
Glasgow's Fight for Equal Pay (13/12/20)
A reminder of where Glasgow's fight for equal pay stood in December 2018 - Council bosses had been dragging their feet for months, but began to negotiate seriously after the history-making, two-day strike in October 2018.
Who knows what's in store for the New Year, but regular readers will recall that April 2021 is the agreed date for completing the new job evaluation (JE) scheme and for the next round of equal pay settlements.
Here's a post from the blog site archive featuring Stefan Cross, Amanda Green, Shona Thomson and the City Council leader, Susan Aitken, on the eve on Glasgow's historic Equal Pay strike back on 23/24 October 2018.
Now as well as repeatedly saying that the strike was 'unnecessary' and that she didn't really understand why it was taking place, the Council leader also claimed that the women had 'won their case' by the time a new Council was elected in May 2017.
Which is very odd, I have to say, because in August 2017 Glasgow City Council tried to overturn the 'unfit for purpose' WPBR decision of the Court of Session - by seeking a further appeal to the UK Supreme Court in London.
The City Council lost this appeal, of course, but it wasn't for the lack of trying that its appeal was shot down in flames at a hearing in Edinburgh on 21 December 2017.
The other strange comment made by the Council leader is that while she says repeatedly (and correctly) that the WPBR pay scheme is blatantly discriminatory - that's not what her officials say in private.
Senior officials say that the Council is prepared to go back to the Employment Tribunals to defend the WPBR - so who is speaking the truth?
If the Council leader think it's unfair to criticise officials who are not present to defend themselves, then why not have a public debate involving the 'head' of the Council Family, Glasgow's chief executive Annemarie O'Donnell, and the Council leader herself?
Now wouldn't that be simply wonderful - I'll bet you could sell tickets.
Here's a link to the BBC's 'Woman's Hour' programme which discussed the fight for equal pay in Glasgow City Council earlier today.
Tune in and decide for yourself whether council bosses are speaking with a forked tongue!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0000syv
I listened to the Woman's Hour programme earlier today which discussed the fight for equal pay in Glasgow City Council.
Amanda Green (Unison) Shona Thomson (GMB) and Stefan Cross (A4ES) all gave a great account of themselves speaking on behalf of 'Team Equal Pay'.
Sadly, I can't say the same about the Council Leader, Susan Aitken, who said she didn't understand why the Glasgow claimants are going on strike.
So for the record and the umpteenth time the claimants are striking because of the Council's failure to deliver the 'serious negotiations' that were promised months ago.
Settlement talks are not making 'good progress', in fact they've broken down and quite incredibly the Council is refusing to talk to the unions (GMB and Unison) while strike action is underway or is being planned.
If settlement talks had been making 'good progress' as Susan Aitken claims, there would be no strike and thousands of outstanding equal pay claims would not be heading back to the Employment Tribunals - which they are!
If you ask me, this kind of insulting, ill-informed rubbish is making things worse rather than better - the claimants have very right to go on strike to make their point and instead of attacking the workforce, the Council should be listening to what they have to say.
Glasgow's workers are not 'mindless sheep'.
Glasgow's Fight for Equal Pay (08/12/18)
Here's a post from the blog site archive featuring Stefan Cross, Amanda Green, Shona Thomson and the City Council leader, Susan Aitken, on the eve on Glasgow's historic Equal Pay strike back on 23/24 October 2018.
Now as well as repeatedly saying that the strike was 'unnecessary' and that she didn't really understand why it was taking place, the Council leader also claimed that the women had 'won their case' by the time a new Council was elected in May 2017.
Which is very odd, I have to say, because in August 2017 Glasgow City Council tried to overturn the 'unfit for purpose' WPBR decision of the Court of Session - by seeking a further appeal to the UK Supreme Court in London.
The City Council lost this appeal, of course, but it wasn't for the lack of trying that its appeal was shot down in flames at a hearing in Edinburgh on 21 December 2017.
The other strange comment made by the Council leader is that while she says repeatedly (and correctly) that the WPBR pay scheme is blatantly discriminatory - that's not what her officials say in private.
Senior officials say that the Council is prepared to go back to the Employment Tribunals to defend the WPBR - so who is speaking the truth?
If the Council leader think it's unfair to criticise officials who are not present to defend themselves, then why not have a public debate involving the 'head' of the Council Family, Glasgow's chief executive Annemarie O'Donnell, and the Council leader herself?
Now wouldn't that be simply wonderful - I'll bet you could sell tickets.
Glasgow's Fight for Equal Pay (22/10/18)
Here's a link to the BBC's 'Woman's Hour' programme which discussed the fight for equal pay in Glasgow City Council earlier today.
Tune in and decide for yourself whether council bosses are speaking with a forked tongue!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0000syv
Glasgow's Equal Pay Claimants Know Why They're Striking! (22/10/18)
I listened to the Woman's Hour programme earlier today which discussed the fight for equal pay in Glasgow City Council.
Amanda Green (Unison) Shona Thomson (GMB) and Stefan Cross (A4ES) all gave a great account of themselves speaking on behalf of 'Team Equal Pay'.
Sadly, I can't say the same about the Council Leader, Susan Aitken, who said she didn't understand why the Glasgow claimants are going on strike.
So for the record and the umpteenth time the claimants are striking because of the Council's failure to deliver the 'serious negotiations' that were promised months ago.
Settlement talks are not making 'good progress', in fact they've broken down and quite incredibly the Council is refusing to talk to the unions (GMB and Unison) while strike action is underway or is being planned.
If settlement talks had been making 'good progress' as Susan Aitken claims, there would be no strike and thousands of outstanding equal pay claims would not be heading back to the Employment Tribunals - which they are!
If you ask me, this kind of insulting, ill-informed rubbish is making things worse rather than better - the claimants have very right to go on strike to make their point and instead of attacking the workforce, the Council should be listening to what they have to say.
Glasgow's workers are not 'mindless sheep'.
