Strikespossibleinroad workers’wagedispute

Strike action has not been ruled out in a dispute between Stirling Council roads chiefs and workers about wage bandings.

Union GMB has accused management of“trying to undermine and de-skill”their workforce.

Around 100 roads workers are involved in the dispute which follows a CoSLA jobs evaluation programme which started in August 2018.

The programme, which Stirling Council adopted, aims to ensure workers are paid the correct grade for the tasks they carry out and those who carry out a job of similar worth are paid the same. The GMB submitted a collective grievance on the matter earlier this month.

GMB Scotland organiser David Hume, based in Falkirk, said this week if an“acceptable accommodation”for GMB membership is not reached“all options are on the table up to and including industrial action.”

He added:“Instead of evaluating the roads workers on their existing role, duties and tasks, they have proposed a new job description that removes the critical and highly skilled winter maintenance work.

“Although carrying out winter maintenance duties have been compulsory for new road workers for over a decade management are now seeking to have the tasks assessed essentially as a‘job two’rather than as an integral part of their duties. This could have a significant impact on road workers’earnings.”

Mr Hume pointed out that road workers are amongst the lowest paid workers in Stirling Council. Management are proposing grades five (£19,146 - £20,244), six (£20,901 - £22,197) and seven (£22,818 - £24,921) as the appropriate grades.

The council, he said, had proposed grade three (£17,814) for newly-qualified road workers but this has been rejected by the GMB as they should be paid the appropriate job evaluated grade.

A Stirling Council spokesman said this week:“Stirling Council, in consultation with trade unions (including GMB), has been undertaking a job evaluation exercise within the roads section.

“The job profiles and associated grades, as requested by the trade unions, will shortly be released to the relevant employees in the roads section for final comment.

“In relation to winter maintenance, discussions are at a very informal stage, however commitment was given to all trade unions that they would be fully engaged and involved in discussions.”