Despite giving COSLA several chances to improve their offer on pay there has been no movement – now we are balloting for industrial action.
From Mon 31 July members working in schools will start receiving postal ballot papers.
If you are in the group being balloted, return your ballot paper without delay. It will arrive in a purple envelope. The recommendation is to vote YES.
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”
UNISON members working in waste services in Stirling and Perth and
Kinross are on strike for fair pay.
UNISON are balloting school staff across Scotland for strike action. We
recommend you vote YES for strike. But whatever you think Vote!
Your ballot is in a PURPLE envelop.
Despite our efforts COSLA have not improved their April pay offer, which
UNISON members overwhelminglyrejected in a consultative ballot.
COSLA say they don’t have the cash to improve their offer but will not
approach Scottish Government for additional funding.
COSLA want to see if we can beat anti-trade union strike thresholds. We
did it last year and can do it again this year.
If members vote to strike, any action will take place after the summer break
but before the October holidays.
Ballot closes 25th August
School staff – Look out for your purple envelope.
Vote YES for strike ballot, closes 25 August 2023
Step 1. OPEN your envelope
Step 2. Choose YES to vote
Step 3. POST your ballot
#yesforstrike #payupforcouncilstaff
LG Pay Update
UNISON Scotland served notice on 2 local authorities of strike dates for waste and recycling members. The dates our Waste Workers in Stirling and Perth and Kinross taking industrial action for all Local Authority members are as follows 10th Aug, 11th Aug, 12th Aug and the 13th Aug 2023.
We are now also moving to ballot our members Schools/Early Years (only early years members that work within a school setting/campus will be balloted at this stage. (Standalone Early Years staff are not being balloted at this stage.) The ballot for these members opens the 31st July and will close on the 25th August 2023. Those being balloted will receive their ballot in a PURPLE envelope.
We are also working on supporting materials/advice to members taking action and resources for those who are not so they can demonstrate their support for those Workers taking action on their behalf. It is crucial all members show your support for those taking action for a fairer pay deal for all Council workers. Please see below.
Further information on all of that will follow asap – you will appreciate that things are moving at pace at the moment but we will, as always we will communicate any developments as soon as we have more detail.
UNISON members not wasting their time considering a pitiful pay offer
With spiralling inflation, food and energy costs remaining at unprecedented high levels UNISON members in waste vote overwhelmingly to take industrial action over pay
In what has been described as an unprecedentedly high return in Stirling Council, members voted 98.41% in favour to take industrial action
Lorraine Thomson, UNION Branch Secretary said “given the challenges our members are facing and what amount to a pay cut on the table I expected a vote in favour to take action , but I am surprised at such a high turnout and an almost unanimous vote in favour”
Lorraine went on to say “We understand the other TUs first wave ballots close at the beginning of next week and we have a meeting with them on Monday where we’ll discuss what mandates we all have and next steps re action”.
UNISON will keep our members informed of developments.
A ballot for UNISON members in education is set to open towards the end of July 2023
Stirling UNISON 