Helensburgh Advertiser | News | Strikes over as deal is reached

Tuesday, 6th January, 2009

Published: Friday, 15th February, 2008 12:30

Strikes over as deal is reached

By Tracy-Ann Carmichael

Strike action by council workers has been suspended in Argyll and Bute.

Escalating industrial action by unions Unite — the Transport and General Workers’ Union — and Unison, had crippled services, including refuse collection, roads maintenance, home care and ancillary schools services.

But unions announced last week that they would suspend further strike action after crisis talks with council chiefs resulted in the authority modifying their stance.

Union leaders say a new set of proposals drawn up by the authority goes a long way to addressing members’ concerns, including the provision that all employees will be awarded eight fixed days public holiday entitlement and four floating days and the retention of existing pay frequencies.

Core working hours will still be defined at 6am until 10pm Monday to Sunday, but unions have secured the concession that full consultation and negotiation will take place on any future changes to actual working hours for any group of employees and further discussion will also go ahead over the issue of pay enhancements, including additional payments made when basic hours are worked at weekends.

The issue of a 35-hour working week is still under consultation at national level.

The agreement was reached as workers took part in a three-day all out strike action last week.

More than 350 Unison members were also joined by colleagues from Unite, who turned out for a rally at Dunoon’s Queen’s Hall, at the height of strike action last Thursday, where members voted so suspend action on the basis of the latest concessions. The move was later endorsed at a committee meeting of branch officials. The proposals will now be scrutinised at national level by union leaders and members are expected to be fully balloted over whether to formally accept the proposals.

Donald Brown, Unison Branch Chair, said: “The branch welcomes this progress towards a fair local agreement on single status and thank those who have expressed their support for our campaign.

Council Leader Dick Walsh also welcomed developments, saying: “I am encouraged to see these positive steps being taken and the council will return to normality as soon as possible to continue providing a quality service by our much-valued staff.”

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