News – Page 31 – Stirling UNISON

UNISON Scotland LG Pay

Stirling UNISON members not only met the ballot threshold but also demonstrated a massive strength of feeling on the pay offer with close to 95 % voting to take industrial action if needed to gain an improved offer.

The UNISON Stirling Branch would like to thank all our members that were balloted and voted in the ballot giving us this mandate to fight for a fair pay deal for all Local Government Workers across Scotland.

Local Government workers in Scotland have been offered one of the worst public sector pay offers. This is unacceptable.

Local Government workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been made an offer of on average close to 5 %, which is a flat rate increase of £1925 on all pay points, UNISON responded to that offer with “it’s not enough to make up for a decade and more of lost wages.”

NHS workers in Scotland have been offered 5% and are being balloted with a UNISON recommendation to reject.

If you need to be reminded the pay offer in Scotland, 2%, saw the majority of the workforce being offered only £500.

UNISON Scotland LG committee and Branch secretaries will be meeting this week to discuss next steps.

Now we have a mandate for Industrial Action we will keep all members up to date going forward. We will be holding members meetings with members in those services taking action to discuss further detail. We will also be holding meetings with services not taking action and engaging them on how to support striking members that are taking action on their behalf.

Over the Line

This is about your Local Government Pay Ballot. Your pay is very important to UNISON.

Some important information.

To meet Trade Union Act. Legislation for Industrial Action there is a requirement to have 50% of ballot papers returned.

Ballot closes on the 26^th of July.

If you have not received a ballot paper yet and are working in a School, Waste or Recycling, you should have. It may be that the address we have for you is not up to date.

You should call 0800 0857 857 to request a replacement ballot paper.

Why Local Government Workers Need a decent Pay Rise?

With rising cost, energy, food, fuel inflation is now higher that it has been for generations. At the same time Public Sector pay has stagnated which means every local government worker is now far worse off, with many now having to make choices on what to cut back their spending on.

In comparison to other Public Sector workers our government clearly values NHS workers above those working in Local Government having now offered them a 5% pay increase. The 2% offered to Council Workers does nothing to address the challenges of the cost-of-living crisis or the contribution you have made over the last 2 years during COVID and continue to make.

Why it is important to return your ballot paper?

To get a better than 2% pay rise, UNISON recommend that the offer is rejected and that you vote for Strike Action.

By failing to return your ballot paper you will effectively be accepting the 2% increase that has been offered with no prosect of bringing the employers back to the negotiating table. If you care about pay now and, in the future, please return you ballot paper today.

Support The Pay Campaign!

Here are some things that members have been doing to support the campaign.

Watch online:

https://fb.watch/dZzyly8Hp5/

Get involved!

Post, like, share messages on the branch social media.

Send us a picture of you posting your ballot paper or make a video about why pay is important to you we will share this on our social media pages.

Let’s get this ballot over the line together and get a better pay deal for you, our local government workers.

Online Q&A events about the National Care Service Bill.

The government National Care Service webpage has details of online Q&A events about the NCS Bill.

Register for an event to learn more about the National Care Service Bill

There will be an opportunity to learn more about the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill and ask questions.

If you would like to attend, you can register online for the following dates:

· Thursday 21 July, 11am to 12pm

· Tuesday 9 August, 6pm to 7pm

· Monday 22 August, 10am to 11am (with BSL interpretation)

An Electronic Notetaker will be available at each session, with BSL interpretation for the session on Monday 22 August.

Scottish Government’s National Care Service Bill E-Briefing

See the latest briefing on the Scottish Government’s National Care Service Bill.

National Care Service Bill e-briefing

This briefing focuses on the alarming attack on Local Government that the Bill contains.

The briefing can also be found in online at the UNISON Scotland website

Local Government and the National Care Service

Social Work and the National Care Service

Social work e briefing

This briefing looks at what the National Care Service Bill means for UNISON’s social work members. The government is clear in its view that who provides social work and social care services makes no difference in terms of the quality of services provided to citizens and therefore no difference whether services are provided by the public, private or the voluntary sector. The changes discussed here are intended to be in place by 2025/26.

Statutory duties for social work are being transferred from local authorities to Scottish Ministers but will sit with the local Care Boards, who will also hold the funding. Once their statutory duties are removed, local authorities will have no reason to employ any social workers or provide any social work services. The Bill addresses this by introducing a clear legal basis for them to continue doing so.

The possibility that the NCS could directly deliver social care and social work services is the single most significant difference between the Bill and the proposals put out to Consultation.

The National Care Service Bill has profound implications for social work staff and for the future delivery of social work services. It creates risks for social workers’ conditions and security of employment and branches need to urgently discuss what this means for members.

Questions and answers about the ballot

Which groups are being balloted for strike action?

The membership groups that we have formally notified employers we will be balloting are all members employed working in schools, who provide services to the running and operation of the school, and all members working in early years and in waste and recycling services.

Why are only certain groups being balloted for action?

It is important to stress that this campaign is for all local government workers. The decision to only ballot certain groups of workers for strike action is tactical – to ensure we maximise the impact of our action on vital service areas likely to force the employers hand.

What is the deadline for returning my ballot paper?

We must receive your completed ballot paper by 10am on the 26th July 2022 so you need to get it in a post box a couple of days before this to make sure you meet the deadline.

What should I do if I misplace my ballot paper?

Call the ballot helpline on 0800 0 857 857. This Helpline will be open from 8am on 15th June 2022 to 12 noon on the 20th July 2022.

Why can’t I vote online?

Legislation governing industrial action stipulates that a formal industrial action ballot must be conducted by post.

Why should I vote for strike action?

• The failure to provide a meaningful increase to the Scottish Local Government Living Wage means that those on the lowest pay would still not reach a £10 per hour rate of pay never mind the £12 per hour called for in our claim.

• This offer is weighted towards those on the highest pay and will further exacerbate the issue of endemic low pay which plagues this sector.

• The offer fails to address many of the other issues outlined in our claim such as the need to alleviate the burden of paying professional fees for those on the lowest wages and achieving a no-detriment reduction in the working week to address issues of work-life balance.

• UNISON would not ask you to take strike action unless it was absolutely necessary. We have exhausted all other options in terms of trying to get movement from your employers.

Will I get any financial support if I vote to take strike action?

Yes, all members taking strike action will be financially supported by UNISON. Further details will follow.

I am employed on multiple contracts with my local authority – am I being balloted to take strike action in all my roles?

You are only being balloted on your role as an employee working in a schools, for the purpose of providing services to the running and operation of the school, or your work in early years or in waste and recycling services.

I’m not being balloted for strike action – what can I do to show my support for the campaign?

There are a number of things you can do to show support for the campaign and it is important that you do so colleagues included in the ballot know that you stand with them.

You can: https://join.unison.org.uk