Revenue and Benefits Strike
On 9 June 1999, Edinburgh's Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit staff started a rolling programme of strikes after a 16 month grading dispute...
Dispute
Background* Edinburgh benefits strike settled 20 July
* UNISON challenges council to ‘get serious’ to solve benefits strikes
*Hopes of ending benefits strike dashed by Council (11 July)
*Talks at last in Edinburgh benefits dispute
* Council spurns arbitration in benefits dispute
* Briefing issued to stewards, councillors and Labour Party constituences
*As escalation starts, striking Benefits staff put their case directly to the Council (21 June)
*UNISON National Conference backs Edinburgh strikers (15 June 99)
*Council offer “too late and too low” to avert benefits strike (8 June)
Edinburgh benefits strike settled
Edinburgh’s Council Tax Benefits and Housing Benefit staff have returned to work after voting to accept a revised offer from the Council to settle a 16 month dispute culminating in a seven week rolling programme of strikes.
“The improved offer does not meet all our demands, but we always said we were prepared to negotiate for a fair settlement. It is only sad that it took strike action and disruption of the service to get to this point”, said John Mulgrew, Edinburgh UNISON’s chief negotiator.
The dispute arose after the merger of the Council Tax benefit and Housing Benefit functions. Despite additional responsibilities, the Council graded the combined job up to £4,000 a year less than the old Housing job. While the new deal still falls short of the old rate for the job demanded by UNISON, it is considerably more than the rate the Council had tried to push through.
The settlement involves a rise of one salary point for all staff backdated to October 1998 and a further increase from April 1999. A career scheme should bring everyone up to just one grade below the old Housing job and two grades up from the old Council Tax job, by October this year. Those previously on higher grades will have their salaries protected.
“This means our objectives of improving conditions for the lowest paid and protecting those who had higher salaries have been achieved. A fair deal was all our members wanted and they deserve credit for the dignified way they have seen this through”, added John Stevenson, branch spokesperson.
UNISON challenges council to
‘get serious’ to solve benefits strikes
UNISON’s Edinburgh branch has called on the City of Edinburgh Council to ‘get serious’ about settling the 7 week series of strikes by Council Tax Benefits and Housing Benefit staff.
“There was a furious response at a meeting of strikers today (14 July) when they realised that the Council’s latest offer was worse than the one that caused the strike in the first place”, said John Stevenson, Edinburgh UNISON branch spokesperson.
“We have gone into talks in good faith and made it absolutely clear that our members are prepared to move to achieve a settlement and avoid disruption to the public”, said John Mulgrew, Edinburgh UNISON’s chief negotiator.
“Instead of responding to this, the Council took a cynical line. They must know that staff are never going to go back to work for less than they came out on strike for. We really must question now if the Council really wants a settlement”, added Mr Mulgrew.
UNISON has stressed that the door is still open for talks,
but that the strike action will continue until there is a “proper negotiated
settlement”.
Strike Index | Hot
News Index
Hopes of ending benefits strike dashed by Council
Hopes that talks would bring a solution to the 6 week old series of strikes by Edinburgh’s Council Tax Benefits and Housing Benefits staff were dashed on Friday 9 July when the Council offered no improvement on the terms that led to the strikes.
“We had high hopes that the Council’s call for talks would bring a constructive offer that could take us forward. Unfortunately this was not the case. Management must have known this offer would not end the dispute, unless they have grossly misjudged the mood of our members”, said Morag Stevenson, UNISON Edinburgh branch secretary.
The new offer gave a promise of slightly more money next year for 19 of the 123 staff, but changed the implementation of the new grade for everyone from last April to August 1999. This effectively meant a reduction in the value of the offer for all staff.
“We have asked the Council to go back and think very carefully. We are still open to talks, but they must be in good faith with a genuine attempt to resolve the dispute”, added chief negotiator John Mulgrew.
Meanwhile the strikes will continue at three days a week
over the next three weeks.
Strike Index | Hot
News Index
Talks at last in Edinburgh benefits dispute
UNISON is to meet the City of Edinburgh Council on Friday 9 July at 11.00am to re-open talks to try to resolve the five week series of strikes by Revenue and Benefits staff.
“We were encouraged to see Councillor Frank Russell say in the press that the council was prepared to talk. We took them up on that offer and this meeting is the result”, said Morag Stevenson, Edinburgh UNISON branch secretary.
“Previous offers have been withdrawnby the council , but we hope that this meeting will bring a constructive way forward to settle the dispute”, added Bill McAllister, full time Regional Officer for UNISON.
The staff, who organise Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit, voted six weeks ago by a massive 92% to strike after a 16 month dispute failed to bring any agreement with the Council. They have taken two weeks of one day strikes, one of two days and one of three days. They have now escalated their action in the fifth week to three days strike a week for the next four weeks.
The dispute arose after the merger of the Council Tax benefit
and Housing Benefit functions. Despite additional responsibilities, the
Council graded the combined job up to £4,000 a year less than the
old Housing job.
Strike Index | Hot
News Index
4 July 1999
Council spurns arbitration in benefits dispute
The City of Edinburgh Council has rejected an offer to involve ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) to try to resolve the month old series of strikes by Revenue and Benefits staff.
“When ACAS approached us last week, our members immediately accepted their offer to mediate”, said Bill McAllister, UNISON full time Regional Officer. “Unfortunately the council has now confirmed that it has refused to meet with ACAS to resolve the dispute”.
“We are confident in the strength of our case and believe that mediation could break the deadlock and lead to a solution. The council is clearly not as confident in its case”, added Morag Stevenson, Edinburgh UNISON branch secretary.
The staff, who organise Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit, voted six weeks ago by a massive 92% to strike after a 16 month dispute failed to bring any agreement with the Council. They have taken two weeks of one day strikes, one of two days and one of three days. They have now escalated their action in the fifth week to three days strike a week for the next four weeks.
“The dispute arose after the merger of the Council Tax benefit and Housing Benefit functions. Despite additional responsibilities, the Council graded the combined job up to £4,000 a year less than the old Housing job”, explained John Stevenson UNISON Edinburgh branch spokesperson.
“The council’s refusal to meet ACAS is disappointing, but we have not given up hope of direct talks with the council. Our members are not asking for more money, just the old Housing rate for the job. We could have argued for more because of the combined duties, but we have not. This is a very reasonable claim”, added Mr Stevenson.
UNISON City of Edinburgh Branch has now issued a briefing on the dispute to councillors and Labour Party constituencies in response to a briefing sent out by Cllr Maureen Childs, Finance Convener. The key points of this are as follows:
“The grading
The staff have been operating a new job since February 1998, despite being in dispute about the grading. The job brought together the work of Council Tax Assistants and Housing Benefits Officers. Council Tax staff (old rate max £12,009) took on the additional tasks of Housing Benefits, while Housing Benefits staff (old rate max £16,233) took on Council Tax duties. Further additional complexity was added to the job. Yet the new job was graded at a maximum £12,879.
UNISON is at a loss to understand why the job was graded at £4,000
a year less than the Housing job for taking on additional tasks and complexity.
It is also a puzzle as to why adding the whole range of Housing Benefits
tasks to the Council Tax function should result in an absolute maximum of
£16 a week more (but not for all staff).
The council has confirmed the increase in duties and complexity itself
by increasing the salaries of the senior managers. How can it then justify
reducing the salary of the staff who deliver the service? The council
argues that to negotiate changes to the grade would ‘make a mockery
of the council's job evaluation scheme'. UNISON contends that the information
fed into the scheme must have been wrong for it to have come up with such
an illogical grade. But we cannot find out, because we have been refused
access to that information.
The Appeal
The Scottish Appeals panel was split and registered its first ‘failure to agree' in three years on this appeal. Contrary to reports, the council did not seek to justify the new grade, rather it sought to argue that the old Housing grade was wrong in the first place!
Comparisons with other authorities
The comparisons the council has quoted do not compare like with like. No other council in Scotland has the same range and complexity as Edinburgh. This is underlined by aspects particular to Edinburgh, like the large number of private landlords, transient student population etc which lead to far greater complexity in claims. The Edinburgh job is unique and should be graded as such.
Career Scheme
UNISON has no problem with career development schemes, in fact we have tried to promote them elsewhere in face of council resistance. However, there cannot be an agreement on a career development scheme without agreement on the basic grade for the job.
Seeking a solution
The enormous vote for industrial action demonstrates the huge sense of injustice our members feel about the issue and the disrepute it has brought the whole grading issue into. UNISON is ready to try to negotiate a fair settlement. All the staff are looking for is the old grade for the job. They could argue for a higher grading given the additional tasks but they are not. This is a fair claim and one which must be settled through negotiation.”
“If the Council undervalues the staff who operate the benefits system, it undervalues the public that depends upon them” concludes John Stevenson in the bulletin.
ENDS
As escalation starts, striking Benefits staff put their case directly to the Council
In their third week of strike action, Edinburgh’s Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit staff will take their case direct to the City of Edinburgh Council Finance Committee on Tuesday 22 June, as UNISON takes in a deputation of six ordinary members to put their case.
The staff voted five weeks ago by a massive 92% to strike after a 16 month dispute failed to bring any agreement with the Council.
“With no movement from the Council, it is now time to step up our action. We want to avoid the disruption that will cause. That is why we want to make yet another attempt to get the Council to see the justice of our case”, said Kevin Duguid, one of the strikers and an Edinburgh UNISON service conditions officer.
The dispute arose after the merger of the Council Tax benefit and Housing Benefit functions. Despite additional responsibilities, the Council graded the combined job at least £2,000 a year less than the old Housing job.
“Our members are not asking for more money, just the old Housing rate for the job. We could have argued for more because of the combined duties, but we have not. This is a very reasonable claim”, said Bill McAllister, UNISON full time Regional Officer.
BRIEFING
Why Revenue and benefits members are on strike
One hundred and twenty three Revenue and Benefits staff voted by 92% to take industrial action in a 16 months long grading dispute. The council has issued a briefing note on the dispute, and while it is largely accurate, there are significant areas of emphasis that UNISON feels require a response.
1. The grading
The staff have been operating a new job since February 1998, despite being in dispute about the grading. The new job brought together the work of Council Tax Assistants and Housing Benefits Officers. Council Tax staff (old grade: GS3, £12,009 at the very top of their scale) took on the additional tasks of Housing Benefits, while Housing Benefits staff (old grade: AP3, £16,233 at the very top of their scale) took on Council Tax duties. Further additional complexity was added to the job. Yet the new job was graded at GS3/AP1, an absolute maximum of £12,879.
UNISON is at a loss to understand why the job was graded at £4,000 a year less than the Housing job for taking on additional tasks and complexity. It is also a puzzle as to why adding the whole range of Housing Benefits tasks to the Council Tax function should result in an absolute maximum of £16 a week more (but not for all staff).
The council has confirmed the increase in duties and complexity itself by increasing the salaries of the senior managers. How can it then justify reducing the salary of the staff who deliver the service? The council argues that to negotiate changes to the grade would ‘make a mockery of the council's job evaluation scheme'. UNISON contends that the information fed into the scheme must have been wrong for it to have come up with such an illogical grade. But we cannot find out, because we have been refused access to that information.
2. The Appeal
The Scottish Appeals panel was split and registered its first ‘failure to agree' in three years on this appeal. Contrary to the reported ‘spin', the council did not seek to justify the new grade, rather it sought to argue that the old Housing grade was wrong in the first place!
3. Comparisons with other authorities
The comparisons quoted do not compare like with like. No other council in Scotland has the same range and complexity as Edinburgh. This is underlined by aspects particular to Edinburgh, like the large number of private landlords, transient student population etc which lead to far greater complexity in claims. The so-called comparisons with "the same job" elsewhere are therefore faulty. The Edinburgh job is unique and should be graded as such.
4. Career development Scheme
UNISON has no problem with career development schemes, in fact we have tried to promote them elsewhere in face of council resistance. However, there cannot be an agreement on a career development scheme without agreement on the basic grade for the job.
5. Seeking a resolution
The enormous vote for industrial action demonstrates the huge sense of injustice our members feel about the issue and the disrepute it has brought the whole grading issue into.
UNISON is ready to try to negotiate a fair settlement. All the staff are looking for is the old grade for the job. They could argue for a higher grading given the additional tasks but they are not. This is a fair claim and one which must be settled through negotiation.
UNISON National Conference backs Edinburgh strikers
UNISON’s National Conference in Brighton has sent a message of support to Edinburgh’s Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit staff this morning, as their programme of strikes enters its second week with a one day stoppage on Wednesday 16 June. Already pledges of support and financial help is coming in from around the UK.
The staff voted three weeks ago by a massive 92% to strike after a 16 month dispute failed to bring any agreement with the City of Edinburgh Council.
“Our members are still absolutely behind this action”, said Kevin Duguid, one of the strikers and an Edinburgh UNISON service conditions officer.
“The council has circulated a letter giving their spin on the situation. This has not undermined our members resolve. They are quite clear about the issues. They have been doing a job for 18 months without being paid the proper rate for the job”, added Kevin.
The dispute arose after the merger of the Council Tax benefit and Housing Benefit functions. Despite additional responsibilities, the Council graded the combined job at up to £2,000 a year less than the old Housing job.
“Our members are not asking for more money, just the old Housing rate for the job. We could have argued for more because of the combined duties, but we have not. This is a very reasonable claim”, said Bill McAllister, UNISON Regional Officer.
Council offer “too late and too low” to avert benefits strike
The strike of 120 Edinburgh’s Council Tax Benefits and Housing Benefits staff will go ahead on Wednesday 9 June after UNISON members overwhelmingly rejected a last minute offer from the council.
“Our members clearly felt the offer was too late and too low after their long 16 month dispute”, said John Stevenson UNISON Edinburgh Branch spokesperson. “At the eleventh hour the Council came up with an offer, conditional on the union recommending it to its members. If we had not recommended it, the offer would not have existed. However we warned that the mood of our members was that they were likely to reject it.”
The new offer, now withdrawn by the Council, would have given two pay increments to 28 staff who gained nothing under the initial offer. However, UNISON says that this does not address the core issue of lack of equality and fairness.
“We will still have a grade for a more complex job which is less than the rate paid before the functions merged, and we will still have staff working side by side on the same job with often vastly different wage rates”, said Tracy Gilbert, one of the affected staff and an Edinburgh UNISON service conditions officer.
UNISON’s claim over the last 16 months has been for all staff to be paid at the same rate as Housing staff were before, despite the increase in duties. “This is not an unreasonable claim”, said Ms Gilbert.
“If the Council had made this offer six months ago, it may have been a basis for negotiation. But at this late stage our members have said it is clearly not enough to settle the dispute”, added Mr Stevenson.
“The last thing our members want is any disruption for the public they serve. We repeat our call for them to support us in fighting for a better service with fairly treated staff. We urge the Council to get back round the table to come up with a constructive way to avoid the disruption”.
Dispute Background
What could possibly make Council Benefits staff deliver a 92% vote for an official strike? What could make ordinary office workers, not rampant militants, walk out on their first one day stoppage on 9 June?
Sixteen months of frustration is the answer. Sixteen months of feeling like figures on a balance sheet instead of real people delivering a real service to the public. Sixteen months of facing public dissatisfaction with a service they warned had been set up in haste.
A sense of fairness is what drives them. Fairness may be
an old fashioned concept in these days of computerised job grades and 'human
resource' theories about motivation and performance appraisal. But at least
it is a human concept.
If staff feel they are treated fairly, they will deliver a better service.
If they feel valued, they will deliver value.
Whatever the rights and wrongs, staff feel betrayed. Relations with management have broken down. So what is all the fuss about?
In 1997 Edinburgh merged Council Tax Benefits and Housing
Benefits under one Finance Department section. Staff, previously on different
pay in Finance and Housing, would do both jobs, organising benefits for
people on low income entitled to reduced Council Tax or help with rent costs.
Yet despite the extra duties, the council graded the jobs at £2,000
a year less than the old Housing ones. All our members want is the old rate
for the job. Because of new responsibilities, they could argue for more,
but they haven't.
To be fair, most staff would have existing wages protected. But that left the bizarre situation of someone with identical skills and experience as another, doing the same job for 25% less. All new employees would get the lower grade.
The Council told staff if they didn't like it, they could appeal. They did appeal, all the way to a Scottish panel. There, rather than justify the new grade, the council claimed we were wrong about the old one. People may have been paid on one grade, but they were really on a lower one!
The appeal panel was split. For the first time in three years it registered a 'failure to agree' and our members were back at square one.
More negotiations failed and there was no alternative but to ballot on action. The huge vote brought a new offer. The Council wouldn't change the grade, but would give two pay increments to some staff who were left out the first time.
It was not enough to persuade members to give up 16 months of struggle. They rejected the offer and the council withdrew it. Back at square one again.
The strike will hurt. Our members do not relish losing wages or causing disruption to the public they serve. That is why they are asking for public support to get a speedy solution for a better service with fairly treated staff. We are ready to talk and we urge the Council to get back round the table and thrash out a positive way to avoid more disruption.