UNISONNews September/ October 1999 No.26
3.3% pay deal accepted
But delay from smaller union could mean no money till October
UNISON members across Scotland have voted by almost nine to one to accept this year's 3.3% pay deal.
But hopes that the cash, backdated to 1 April '99, would be paid at the end of September have been dashed by the GMB union's delay in responding.
"The deal will be go through in any case because the GMB represent so few local government workers", explained branch secretary Morag Stevenson.
"But the delay meant the council looked unlikely to catch the September pay deadline", added Morag as we went to press.
Stewards in Associated Bodies and Voluntary Sector organisations linked to the national pay bargaining should now be approaching their employers on implementing the pay rise.
Consultation
Over 63,000 UNISON members responded to the pay consultation with 89% voting to accept
In our branch the response was better than previous years with real attempts by stewards to get members opinions.
"There were some areas where we could have expected a better response", said John Mulgrew, service conditions co-ordinator.
"Officers and stewards committees need to work on this for next year." John acknowledged that consultation in Education was difficult because of school holidays.
"But the union extended the consultation to the end of August to try to ensure these members would get their say and this improved the response this year", added John.
Cyber vote
For the first time members could vote on the Internet. A page on the branch website allowed workplaces and individuals to record their views.
"About 10% of responses came via the web and we are looking to encourage more use of this by far flung members and by voluntary organisations", said John Stevenson, communications officer and 'webmanager'.
Push for millennium fairness
UNISON is calling for Millennium pay enhancements to be paid from 8am on 31 December instead of the 8pm proposed by the council.
"It is only fair that anyone who is asked to work on the millennium holiday should get the payment", said lead negotiator John Mulgrew.
As talks continue, the council is also considering the unions' submission that Edinburgh is a special case because of the scale of new year celebrations.
UNISON is arguing that the national payment does not reflect this and Edinburgh should come up with a better deal.
There are also extra local discussions in Social Work because of the different public holiday arrangements for residential workers due to the nature of their jobs.
The national deal reported last month means an extra £100 for people working and £50 on standby with another £50 if called out. Under Single Status, the branch views this as a minimum.
31 December will also be a one-off extra public holiday.
Branch launches survey on cost of consultants
Ballot to boycott use of consultants
The branch is balloting members in City Development on action to save jobs by challenging the 'wasteful' use of consultants.
Members in the Land Survey section have faced huge backlogs of work as vacancies were left unfilled due to cuts.
"The crazy thing is that the department cannot fill the jobs because there is no money, but they are ready to pay overtime and put out work to expensive consultants", said John Ross UNISON's APT&C convener.
The crisis follows concerns over a long period about the cost of using consultants when jobs are being cut in-house.
UNISON will now run a consultative ballot of affected members on blocking non contractual overtime, followed if necessary by an official ballot on boycotting consultants.
Survey
UNISON is running its own survey on the extent and cost of using consultants across the council.
This information was asked from the council but has not been forthcoming, raising questions as to whether the council itself knows!
John Ross says, "There will always be one-off specialist jobs where it is legitimate to use consultants. But we believe the use is far wider than that.
"UNISON is convinced in-house staff have the skills and knowledge to do most of this work.
"Very often the only reason consultants are used is because of job cuts amongst in-house staff.
"Not only is this more expensive to the council, it also throws our members out of work"
Are consultants doing your job?
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UNISON blocks career scheme pay cuts
UNISON has blocked several career development schemes affecting staff across the council because they would have removed salary protection rights and cut members' potential earnings.
Affected staff currently have the right to progress through a wide-ranging grade without impediment. But management now want to set criteria for salary progression.
One affected post is currently graded at AP1-5 and members would eventually reach AP5. The latest plans withdraw that guarantee and set criteria at points on the grade. If you don't meet the criteria, you are blocked from progressing.
John Ross, APT&C convener, said, "We are not against the principle of the new schemes since they give members a chance of fast-tracking through the grades if they meet the criteria. But we have an agreement with the council on salary protection which we must defend.
"Until such time as that is recognised, we will take whatever action is needed to protect out members' rights.
Fleet services backed by council and union
UNISON and the council have joined forces to back the Fleet Services DLO in face of government criticism.
"Far from being a failing DSO, Fleet Services have turned a 1998 deficit of over £600,000 to a break-even by the end of this year", said John Mulgrew, branch service conditions convener.
Overall, since 1996, the council's eight DSOs and DLOs have created a surplus of £1.5 million, cutting an equivalent of £9 off each council tax bill.
Staff praised
Council leader Donald Anderson praised the Fleet Service workers contribution to the 10 point plan that turned the situation around.
"I want to praise the staff... for all the hard work they have done. The fact that they have achieved significant improvements is something we should recognise and they deserve a fair chance to prove themselves", said Donald Anderson.
"This is not one of the glamourous jobs in local government but it is very important because it is about keeping the wheels turning in our street cleaning and refuse collection operation", he added.
Tendering
However, despite this vote of confidence, the contract will still be put out to voluntary tender with the council's own DSO having to bid for the work.
Much of the early loss was due to duplication and other problems arising from merging the councils at reorganisation.
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Branch dealing with hundreds of cases for members
Branch officers are dealing with 249 ongoing cases from individual issues to employer-wide negotiations.
On top of this are hundreds more cases being dealt with by stewards and conveners at local and departmental level.
"While this is a heavy workload, it shows just how much people need and value their union", said branch secretary Morag Stevenson.
"With 75% of these cases being held by three senior officers, John Mulgrew, John Ross and George Lee, it may explain why they don't always return your call right away".
"Seriously though, we need to encourage more stewards to come forward and make sure all the training and ongoing supports are in place for them", added Morag.
Morag stresses the need to build on the work done in the 'Branch Development Programme' which is looking at all aspects of how the branch works.
"This involves looking at how we can involve members more in their union, how we can make it more accessible and how we can make sure we have a strong group of stewards and officers for the future", said Morag.
Housing registrar parity win
Housing staff doing Registrars duties in outlying offices are now better off thanks to UNISON.
For years the Registrars work they did in offices in Kirkliston, Queensferry and Currie was not recognised.
But now after a campaign that has gone on since council reorganisation, the staff have won parity with their ex Lothian Region colleagues.
"The organised way members went about this campaign was vital to its success and they deserve their victory", said John Ross, APT&C convener.
Paisley told to go and see real world
UNISON has reacted angrily to Tory councillor Alistair Paisley's recent press attack on advice shop workers.
"He should get out into the real world and see the good work being done in the community by council staff and the voluntary sector", said John Ross, APT&C convener.
His call was echoed by vice-chair John Stevenson. "When my father was very ill, Granton Information Centre staff came to visit and sort out benefits urgently and compassionately. That is the real story of the people he ignorantly criticised"
Stewards committee issues statement on Steve Coulson case.
Setting the record straight
Why UNISON is making this statement
UNISON's usual policy is never to comment on the detail of individual complaints or disciplinary action.
However, in this case, misleading information has been published in the press before, during and after the disciplinary case involving Steve Coulson, joint convener of the Social Work Stewards Committee. The source of these stories is reported as the complainants themselves.
That is why, now that the case is concluded, the Social Work Shop Stewards Committee has taken this unusual step to set the record straight.The statement deals only with specific allegations made against Steve.
UNISON fully supports members and service users who speak up about concerns. We have demonstrated this in our actions, in agreeing a 'whistleblowing' policy and in our evidence to the Edinburgh Inquiry. We will continue to back members and service users in this way.
But we also have a duty to support our members and service users when we feel an injustice is being done.
In a decision that could have implications for any member dealing with the public, Steve Coulson lost his appeal against a written warning at the council's appeals sub-committee on 25 August.
Steve, Social Work stewards joint convener, was fighting council charges that he smoked marijuana on two occasions in 1983 in front of residents of a hostel for 16-18 year olds.
The council upheld his guilt despite the following:
- three former residents of the hostel backed Steve's case
- of 13 witness statements only one accused Steve of this charge and this statement was directly contradicted by three other people called by the witness.
Evening News reports suggest the appeal may have been lost because councillors believed Steve must have known cannabis was being smoked at the hostel but failed to act. If this was the case, this was never a charge so Steve had no opportunity to defend it.
"In the opinion of the Social Work Stewards Committee, the outcome is a travesty of justice which maligns the reputation and character of one of our leading members. We also believe it represents a grave threat to all of our members", says the Social Work stewards statement.
How it came about
Eighteen months ago two ex residents of Chester Street, (a hostel for 16-18 year olds closed some years ago) made serious allegations on TV and in the press.
According to the Evening News these included the supply and use of drugs by staff, under age drinking, "lesbian sex romps", forcing residents into political activity, sending one person to a kibbutz against their will and the payment of 'hush' money.
Steve Coulson was the only worker from the hostel still employed by Edinburgh. He was suspended for five months during an investigation and was issued with a written warning.
Steve appealed against this written warning. Members should know the following:-
- The police investigation prompted by the drugs allegations was dropped after three weeks. Steve was not even interviewed.
- None of the allegations related to abuse and the Edinburgh Inquiry considered them outwith its remit.
- Originally 19 allegations were made, nine against Steve Coulson.
- Steve was asked to answer two allegations at a disciplinary hearing in July 1998.
- One of the charges (taking under-age residents to the pub) was dropped after UNISON evidence showed this could not be true.
- Only one charge remained - the one Steve appealed against.
Threat to all members
The appeal process raises worrying issues for all staff.
It seems that Steve Coulson was expected to prove his innocence of 15 year old allegations 'beyond reasonable doubt', while the council can convict on a 'reasonable belief'.
While an employer can discipline on a 'reasonable belief', they cannot ignore corroborated evidence which contradicts that belief.
If they have ignored such evidence, it means that any member dealing with the public could be in a very vulnerable position.
UNISON not the cause of delays
Fighting to clear your name is hard enough without allegations that you 'dragged out' the process. But this very allegation was made in the Evening News by one of the complainants in the Chester Street Hostel affair.
UNISON wants to make it absolutely clear that neither the social worker concerned nor the union dragged out the investigation. Quite the opposite.
Delays in the complainants signing their own statements and problems in the council's own systems were just two of the reasons for hold-ups, not the actions of the social worker who had to endure a long period of suspension with no apparent progress being made.
UNISON consistently complained about these delays. It continues to argue for improvements in the process to avoid this happening again, in fairness both to people with complaints and to staff.
We made this very point to the Edinburgh Inquiry, a process started by our own members supporting people who had been harmed.
It must also be remembered that confidentiality and council rules mean that individual staff cannot publicly defend themselves when allegations are made in the press.
What the Edinburgh Inquiry said
The following paragraph appears on page 101 of the Edinburgh Inquiry report.
"c. Chester Street
5.34 Following publicity about the anonymous letter, two former residents of the Chester Street hostel contacted the Social Work Department alleging inappropriate behaviour by staff from 1981 to 1986. This was said to involve drugs, drink, political activity and a degree of sexual harassment. Three former residents contacted us to deny such allegations and to speak highly of their care whilst there."The report goes on to note the concerns about length of suspensions and later makes recommendations to deal with this problem.
What UNISON is doing
- Pursuing all avenues, legal and otherwise, with Steve.
- Making representations to the Evening News about the unfair treatment of council staff when they cannot answer.
- Calling on members to make their views known to the branch and to the council by writing to the branch magazine, and/or to Kingsley Thomas, Chair of the Social Work Committee, and their local councillor.
Steve and his family would wish once again to pass on their thanks for the support and best wishes they have received from UNISON members over the past 18 months.
Do nothing - and keep your membership
At last the government has abandoned the bureaucratic nightmare of having to sign up every three years to have your union subs deducted at source.
Soon you will get a note in your payslip telling you the law has been changed. You have 14 days to stop your subs - so all you have to do is NOTHING to stay in the union.
This will come as a relief to many members who inadvertently didn't sign up before and only discovered they had lost their union membership when they really needed it.
But the system also backfired on the Tory government who saw this as a way of cutting union membership. In the first exercise we increased our membership!
NOTE: Members can and always have been able to write to the council cancelling subs at any time if they wanted.
Calling all home helps
Home care steward David Hop is urging colleagues to come forward as steward and health & safety reps.
You will get a warm welcome and tons of support. Contact David via the branch office.
Edinburgh Leisure ballot rejects strings
Edinburgh Leisure members have voted overwhelmingly to reject management's 3.3% pay offer, because of strings that would take them out of national bargaining.
If the trust, which runs the city's sports centres, tries to force through the deal, the union will take it to tribunal.
Scottish Womens Conference
The conference will be held on Saturday 9 October in Glasgow.
Any woman member interested in attending should contact Morag Stevenson, branch secretary by 4 October at the latest.
Is the person next to you a member?
The successes on this page are just some of reasons why everyone at your workplace should be in UNISON.
The union is only as strong as its members - our ability to protect you depends on how many members we have.
Give this to a colleague who isn't in the union. And remind them about who negotiated the procedures that protect them in the workplace.
Ask them whether they would have got any pay rises without the union?
Remind them about...
- representation in grievances, gradings, disciplinaries, health & safety
- free legal help on work issues and free or cheaper advice on many others
- mortgage discounts
- 20% off car breakdown cover
- holiday and insurance deals and much more
Phone 0131 220 5655 to join. You can also join by clicking here.
Free Internet with UNISON
Phone 0870 9009090 for your free unisonfree.net CD now. Quoting membership no.
UNISON is the first union to give free internet access to its members through unisonfree.net.
Free access, free email address, free web space to start your own site. It is for members only and you will need your membership number (contact 220 5655 if you've lost yours).
URGENT APPEAL
Earthquake disaster, TurkeyUNISON has launched an appeal on behalf of trade unions in Turkey after the earthquake which left up to 40,000 dead or missing.
One union alone, Turk Harb-Is, estimates 2,000 of its members were killed.
UNISON is working with Public Service International to help our colleagues in Turkey.Please send donations to the branch office marked "UNISON Turkey Appeal" and we will forward them to the appeal.
About UNISONNews
The views expressed in UNISON News are not necessarily those of UNISON City of Edinburgh Branch or the union.
All articles/comments to John Stevenson, Communications Officer at 0131 220 5655
P&P by UNISON City of Edinburgh Local Government & Related Sectors Branch, 23 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EN
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