Glasgow Equal Pay Tree
Glasgow's equal pay tree has had a troubled history.
First of all, Glasgow City Council took some persuading to back idea although things came good once contact had been established with 'parks people' on the ground.
Next the tree died and went to tree heaven - not once, but twice, echoing 'the tree that never grew' from Glasgow's coat of arms:
"There's tree that never grew,
There's the bird that never flew,
There's the fish that never swam,
"There's the bell that never rang"
But thanks to Frances Stojilkovic's determination we have a new tree, a new plaque and a new memorial bench - which are all located in the grounds of the People's Palace on Glasgow Green.
Thanks Frances!
Glasgow's Equal Pay Tree (March 08, 2021)
Some good news on International Women's Day - Glasgow's Equal Pay Oak Tree seems healthy and shows signs of bursting into life this spring.
So fingers crossed in the weeks ahead!
Glasgow's Equal Pay Tree (18/02/21)
As regular readers know the original Equal Pay Oak Tree which was planted in the grounds of Glasgow's People's Palace met with an untimely death last year.
But the good news is that a new Oak Tree has been planted which has hopefully put down strong roots and will manage to bloom back into life in the spring.
So watch this space.
Glasgow's Equal Pay Oak Tree (09/03/20)
Glasgow's Equal Pay Oak Tree (09/03/20)
I know that lots of Glasgow readers plan to visit the Oak Tree which has been planted in the grounds of the People's Palace.
If your standing in front of the People's Palace with your back to the Doulton Fountain, the Oak Tree and the plaque are to your left inside the fence.
Glasgow - International Women's Day 2020
Glasgow - International Women's Day 2020
So the rain stayed away and the sun actually came out for today's event to mark International Women's Day in Glasgow.
The new Oak Tree may last for hundreds of years and the words on the plaque read as follows:
A big thank you to everyone who came along to show their support, especially Frances Stojilkovic.
Because Frances refused to take 'No' for an answer and has been the driving force behind the Memorial Bench in George Square and the Oak Tree now occupying pride of place in the grounds of the People's Palace.
The event is being organised to mark the planting of a new Equal Pay Oak Tree and in memory of the hundreds of Glasgow claimants who passed away waiting for their equal pay claims to be settled.
All welcome.
Now here's what you call a sight for sore eyes - the location of Glasgow's new 'Equal Pay' Oak Tree which will be planted on the east side of the People's Palace in the weeks ahead.
Watch this space for further details.
A number of readers have been in touch to ask when Glasgow's new Oak Tree will be planted.
Well, the answer is sometime in the New Year, probably March, but once a date is confirmed the details will be widely shared.
Because the plan is also to unveil a plaque explaining the significance of the tree to the citizens of Glasgow and visitors to the People's Palace.
'Great oaks from little acorns grow' is an old proverb which suggests that big things can sometimes result from very humble beginnings.
An Oak tree can live for 1,000 years, apparently, in which case it's not surprising that the mighty oak is also symbol of strength, resistance and knowledge.
So it's fitting that an Oak tree will be planted in the grounds of the People's Palace in the New Year as a tribute to Glasgow's long fight for equal pay and to remember the hundreds of low paid council workers who have passed away since this dispute began back in 2005.
It's taken a while, but the Council has finally come good and that's due in no small way to the tireless efforts of Frances Stojilkovic who has been battling away behind the scenes and refusing to take no for an answer.
Now the Glasgow tree won't be as majestic as the one pictured above which is hundreds of years old, but it will provide a great focal point to remind Glasgow's council workers of their history-making fight - and for friends and families to pay their respects in years to come.
The location in Glasgow Green is also very fitting because that's where thousands of striking council workers assembled in October 2018 before marching on to George Square for a rally in support of their struggle for equal pay which continues to this day, of course.
The new Oak Tree may last for hundreds of years and the words on the plaque read as follows:
Glasgow's long fight for equal pay began in 2005.
Thousands of low paid, mainly female, council workers joined the dispute in the years that followed and voted for two days of strike action in October 2018 - the first strike of its kind in the entire history of Scottish local government.
The Oak Tree planted here, in the grounds of the People's Palace, is a lasting tribute to the determination of the Glasgow Claimants to win this battle and also to their colleagues and fellow council workers who passed away waiting for their equal pay claims to be settled.
International Women's Day
8th March 2020
Because Frances refused to take 'No' for an answer and has been the driving force behind the Memorial Bench in George Square and the Oak Tree now occupying pride of place in the grounds of the People's Palace.
Glasgow's Equal Pay Oak Tree (08/03/20)
A final reminder about Glasgow's equal pay event later this morning on International Women's Day - photos to follow.
Date - Sunday 8 March 2020
Time - 11.30 am
Venue - People's Palace (east side)
Date - Sunday 8 March 2020
Time - 11.30 am
Venue - People's Palace (east side)
The event is being organised to mark the planting of a new Equal Pay Oak Tree and in memory of the hundreds of Glasgow claimants who passed away waiting for their equal pay claims to be settled.
All welcome.
Glasgow - Sight for Sore Eyes (19/12/19)
Now here's what you call a sight for sore eyes - the location of Glasgow's new 'Equal Pay' Oak Tree which will be planted on the east side of the People's Palace in the weeks ahead.
Watch this space for further details.
Glasgow's New Oak Tree (19/12/19)
A number of readers have been in touch to ask when Glasgow's new Oak Tree will be planted.
Well, the answer is sometime in the New Year, probably March, but once a date is confirmed the details will be widely shared.
Because the plan is also to unveil a plaque explaining the significance of the tree to the citizens of Glasgow and visitors to the People's Palace.
The Tree That Never Grew - Update (17/12/19)
'Great oaks from little acorns grow' is an old proverb which suggests that big things can sometimes result from very humble beginnings.
An Oak tree can live for 1,000 years, apparently, in which case it's not surprising that the mighty oak is also symbol of strength, resistance and knowledge.
So it's fitting that an Oak tree will be planted in the grounds of the People's Palace in the New Year as a tribute to Glasgow's long fight for equal pay and to remember the hundreds of low paid council workers who have passed away since this dispute began back in 2005.
It's taken a while, but the Council has finally come good and that's due in no small way to the tireless efforts of Frances Stojilkovic who has been battling away behind the scenes and refusing to take no for an answer.
Now the Glasgow tree won't be as majestic as the one pictured above which is hundreds of years old, but it will provide a great focal point to remind Glasgow's council workers of their history-making fight - and for friends and families to pay their respects in years to come.
The location in Glasgow Green is also very fitting because that's where thousands of striking council workers assembled in October 2018 before marching on to George Square for a rally in support of their struggle for equal pay which continues to this day, of course.
