Union rejects deal to end Glasgow jannies’ strike
Political Correspondent THE long-running janitors’ strike in Glasgow schools is not over yet.
A union representing a quarter of the workers has said it does not agree the offer from the council-owned employer Cordia.
Earlier this week Cordia reached an agreement with the majority, who are Unison members, to end the dispute over additional payments for some cleaning tasks and outdoor working called Working Context and Demands Payments.
Cordia offered a settlement based on a new “neighbourhood model for janitorial services”.
The deal would see one janitor retained per school instead of a cluster model where around four janitors would cover.
Unite has said the deal is “vague and confusing” and is like “signing a blank cheque” and wants further talks with bosses.
Union leaders said there is a lack of clarity on what is on offer and claim they have been given vague verbal assurances which it said is unacceptable.
Eddie Cassidy, of Unite Scotland, said: “We are being asked to sign on the dotted line when there are details of the deal on terms and conditions which are open to interpretation.
“We need to have certainties on issues like that. I’m afraid that assurances from management that ‘everything will be sorted out’ isn’t the basis of concluding a negotiation. As of now we don’t agree the offer.”
The Evening Times reported earlier this week how Unison agreed to the latest offer of a 6% pay rise for the existing 196 janitors, and for the number of jobs to rise to 213.
But Unite has today said it will refuse the deal as it stands.
It is seeking more clarity on job specifications, holiday cover sickness cover, and duties regarding after school hours work.
Mr Cassidy added: “We are being asked to sign on the dotted line when there are details of the deal on terms and conditions which are open to interpretation. We need to have certainties on issues like that.
“I’m afraid that assurances from management that ‘everything will be sorted out’ isn’t the basis of concluding a negotiation. As of now we don’t agree the offer.”
The dispute began 18 months ago with janitors staging several rounds of industrial action in schools across the city.
The new SNP leadership of the City Council said it would make it a priority to achieve a satisfactory resolution to the janitors’ strike when it took office in May.
It looked like the strike was over when Unison accepted the terms earlier this week just one day before children returned to school after the summer holidays.
Council leader Susan Aitken said, then: “I am pleased we have been able to bring about a positive end to this dispute, which has been one of longest disputes in Glasgow City Councils in recent decades.
“This dispute was allowed to drag on far too l ong by the previous Labour administration.”