Pressure on to resolve strike
Labour MSP Richard Leonard met with workers from the Wishaw and District Housing Association this week who are taking part in industrial action.
The workers strike action takes place from January 4 to January 13.
Mr Leonard joined the Unite trade union members on their picket line outside the association’s office in Kirk Road, Wishaw.
The Central Scotland MSP met with the workers for two hours to discuss their concerns in detail.
The dispute centres on moves to axe annual leave entitlement by four days, whilst at the same time increasing the working week.
This follows on from other changes to staff terms and conditions over the last three years which have led to pay cuts, pension cuts and bereavement leave cuts.
Mr Leonard said:“I would encourage tenants and residents to contact the Board and the chief executive encouraging them to drop these cuts and so resolve the dispute.
“Be in no doubt that simply retaining the existing holiday entitlement and maintaining the existing working week will not put any upward pressure on rents at all.
In last week’s Wishaw Press Gordon Casey, regional officer of Unite, explained why workers were going on strike because of the attack on their members conditions.
In a letter this week to the Wishaw Press, John Carr, chairman of Coltness Community Council, said:“I have had enough of Mr Casey’s rants of five per cent lower than North Lanarkshire Council’s rents. As a tenant and former board member, I have fought for affordorable rents at Wishaw District Housing Assocation for years. “I have seen at first hand at how high rents impact on tenants and their families.
“Now there is another rent increase increase proposed that means it will go ahead.
“Can I ask Mr Casey to suppport the poor tenants who have to pay the high rents.”
Brenda Higgins, chairman of Wishaw and District Housing Assocation, said that they remain committed to providing a full service to residents and ensure that rent levels remain affordable to tenants of the association.
“The association needs to reduce the costs to the organisation to ensure the long-term viability is secured for both tenants and staff.”