Mullen resigns in dispute over strike
The vice- chairman of Wishaw and District Housing Association has resigned, criticising how the chief executive has handled a long-running dispute with workers.
Wishaw man Eddie Mullen says chief executive Niall Gordon has been “heavy-handed” and has given the board “inaccurate” information in relation to a dispute over working conditions.
He also says that the chief executive failed to inform staff about an offer that the board wanted to make to try to solve part of the dispute.
Mr Mullen said: “I didn’t like the attitude of the chief executive. I found him to be heavy handed, and things got to the stage that some of the information the board was given in relation to the dispute was inaccurate.”
Mr Mullen joined the board of Wishaw and District Housing association in 1996 and was chair of the organisation from 2000 until 2015.
Mr Mullen claims the board were also given inaccurate information about Wishaw’s staff costs in comparison with other associations.
“The chief executive informed us that our staff costs were between £30 and £40 per unit above other housings associations.
“If this had been the case then I think that there would be an issue, but I think the figures are high due to other anomalies.”
The housing association wants to slash four days’ holiday a year from the staff and to increase their working week by 30 minutes – the equivalent of four additional working days a year.
The association also wants to remove a medical insurance scheme from staff.
Mr Mullen says that the board had instructed the chief executive to inform staff that the housing association was prepared to pay up to 25 per cent of the cost of the scheme – but that the offer was never passed on by the chief executive.
He added: “On speaking to the staff they were very adamant that this offer was never put before him.
“The chief executive also told the board that Wishaw and District Housing Association was the only housing association that had a medical insurance scheme for staff.
“I have subsequently found out that – again – that information was inaccurate.”
Unite regional officer Gordon Casey said: “We believe Mr Mullen has taken a courageous stand by resigning and highlighting these issues at Wishaw and District Housing Association.
“All our members want is fair working conditions, dignity at work and some basic respect for their hard work and the sacrifices they have already made.
“This dispute is not going to go away, and I repeat my offer to sit down with the association to discuss how we can move forward.”
Members at Wishaw and District Housing Association have accepted their pensions being massively reduced, their wages being cut, their bereavement leave being reduced almost by half, and lunchtime opening to provide a better service to tenants.
Some 14 Unite members at the association are involved in the dispute, including housing officers, senior staff customer services assistants, cleaners, maintenance assistants, and accounts assistants.
Since September, there have been 12 days of strikes at the association and Unite has launched a nationwide strike fund appeal to support them.
Brenda Higgins, chairman of Wishaw and District Housing Assocation, said: “We remain committed to providing a full service to residents and to ensuring that rent levels remain affordable for the tenants of the Association.
“The Association needs to reduce the costs to the organisation to ensure that the long term viability is secured for both tenants and staff.
“The Board of Wishaw and District Housing Association remain committed to working with staff and Unite to resolve this dispute.”