Pay Ballot

My name is Lorraine Thomson and like you, I am a UNISON member, and I am employed by Stirling Council as an Early Years educator.

I am also you Branch Secretary and the Chair of UNISON Scotland’s Education Issues Group. I am writing to you as all members that work within a school setting should have received your Local Government pay ballot which is in a blue envelope. If you have not received your ballot, then you need call the ballot helpline on the following number.

Call the ballot helpline on 0800 0 857 857. This Helpline will be open from 8am Mon-Fri and will close at 12 noon on the 20th July 2022.

I want to draw your attention to the following information in this letter as it is important that you are clear on why this ballot is so important, why it is crucial, if you are within the work group being balloted at this time that you ensure you have received your ballot and why you need to return your ballot paper. I also want to further make clear that all members taking strike action will be financially supported by UNISON.

Many services are still recovering and feeling the effects from the pandemic, Holyrood continues to underfund councils, and our employers umbrella body COSLA fail to provide local government workers with an above inflation pay rise during a cost-of-living crisis.

In real terms what you have been offered is effectively a pay cut and not a pay rise, when inflation is considered.

The services provided by council workers make a decent society possible. We are not a drain on our society, but an achievement.

UNISON members deserve a fair pay rise. Our heating costs have gone up. Our food costs have gone up. Our fuel costs have gone up and for many their Mortgages have gone up! I guess what I am trying to say is the cost of everything has gone up, with the exception of our pay.

That is why our members in Waste have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action on behalf of all Council workers on the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th August 2023. We are now balloting all members that work in Education within a school. Only Early Years workers that are based within a school/school campus are being balloted. Those that work in a standalone Early Years setting that does not sit within a school campus/setting are not being balloted at this stage.

Your ballot will arrive in the post in a purple envelope,

The ballot will close 25th August 2023, any received after this date would be invalidated. With your hard-earned annual leave, and school holidays around the corner, this closing date may approach very quickly so please “Don’t Delay – Return Today”