21 October 2010
Unions' fury as Edinburgh Council reneges on
pay protection promise
The joint unions representing Edinburgh Council
staff have condemned the Council for reneging on
its promises to staff about three-year pay protection
if they lost out under ‘Modernising Pay’.
Where staff were losing out on their new grade
– some by thousands of pounds – the Council had
promised that their current pay would be frozen
and protected for three years. But instead of their
full contracted pay being protected, the Council
is using an average worked out over the staff’s
previous years contracted pay. This means many staff
who have been absent through legitimate sickness,
carers leave or maternity leave could lose out.
“This flies in the face of assurances they gave
staff when they signed up to the new contracts.
The Council made a big deal about protection when
trying to persuade staff to sign up. Workers will
be furious when they find they have been misled”,
said Kevin Duguid of UNISON, representing all the
staff unions.
“As far as we are aware this is completely at odds
with how every other local authority in Scotland
has approached pay protection”.
Staff affected so far are weekly paid staff that
include Refuse Collectors, Roadworkers and gardeners
but the full extent of the problem will only become
apparent next week when monthly paid staff receive
their payslips.
“Our members, who have had their payslips, are
rightly angry and feel betrayed by the Council”,
added Kevin Duguid.
Steve MacGregor of Unite said: “ We are staggered
that in the first week of pay after the imposition
of Modernising pay, the Council has torn up the
agreed approach to Pay Protection”.
The Joint Trades Unions have lodged a Formal Dispute
with the Council and will be consulting their members
over the coming days.