Press Release

Scottish local authority craft workers to take strike action

2 June 2008

Five thousand Unite craft members in Scotland will take 24 hour strike action from Monday 2nd June and have warned that they will hold 24 hour stoppages every second Monday after that date.

Unite craft workers in many local authorities including Glasgow, Dundee, Edinburgh, Fife, and North & South Lanarkshire are to strike over being forced to work longer hours than their colleagues working along side them in Scotland and in the rest of the UK and a below inflation pay offer. Scottish local authority craft workers currently work a 39 hour week while craft workers in the rest of the UK, and other local authority workers in Scotland work 37 hours.

Five years ago other local authority workers in Scotland had their hours reduced from 39 hours to 37 without any loss of pay.

Unite members have also rejected the 2.45% pay offer as other workers in Scottish local authorities received a higher pay increase.

Unite national officer, John Allott, said: "Our members have been treated with contempt by Scottish local government employers by offering dedicated workers a below inflation 2.45% pay rise and the refusal to grant craft workers a 37 hour week as all other local authority workers have in Scotland and the throughout the UK. This is indefensible and our members have had enough and are determined to end this injustice.

"I hope employers will see sense and come back to the negotiating table so that further planned industrial action can be avoided."

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