UNION CASH U-TURN IS IN THE NIC OF TIME
SNP council drop funding cut just minutes before Sturgeon speaks to conference
AN SNP council yesterday abandoned controversial plans to cut funding to trade unions – just minutes before Nicola Sturgeon was due to address the STUC.
Delegates at the Scottish Trades Union Congress had been preparing to take the First Minister to task over West Dunbartonshire Council’s proposals to reduce the number of paid reps at the local authority.
But STUC general secretary Grahame Smith revealed the U-turn before he introduced Sturgeon to the conference stage in Aviemore.
The climbdown on facility time – time off given by employers to employees to allow reps to carry out trade union roles – followed a huge union backlash, including a 200-strong
protest at Clydebank Town Hall last week.
Council leader Jonathan McColl said the decision made last month to slash trade union convenors, from 3.4 full-time equivalent to two, would be reversed
Asked by the Record if she had put pressure on the council administration on the issue, Sturgeon said: “I have made my views clear on the importance I attach to facility time.
“It’s not just in the interests of the trade unions, it’s in the interests of the organisation that employ people as well.”
Labour’s Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie said: “I welcome West Dunbartonshire Council’s decision to reverse the cut they made to trade union facility time after opposition from trade unions, staff and the public. I am disappointed that the SNP administration joined forces with the Tories just last week to vote down Labour’s motion which asked them to reverse this exact cut.
“It seems that it has taken pressure from their own First Minister to make them see sense.”
Unite convenor Charlie McDonald said: “It’s an absolute victory for the people and the community and the joint trade unions of West Dunbartonshire Council.”