School staff fury over job adverts
Renfrewshire Council has been lambasted for recruiting school cooks after telling experienced kitchen staff their roles and working hours no longer exist.
Hard- working cleaners, caterers and janitors have been informed by the local authority that their roles and shifts are being scrapped as part of a remodelling of facilities services at Renfrewshire schools.
Instead, they will be dubbed ‘facilities operatives’ and asked to undertake any of those roles at any time of the day.
Now a recruitment notice seeking temporary catering assistants for schools in Paisley, Renfrew and Erskine has been advertised with the contracted hours the same as those denied to existing staff.
One employee told the Express: “An agency worker is working with me between 9am and 2pm. Why can they come up with shifts like that for agency staff, but can’t offer it to their own staff?
“I work in one primary school at the moment and am being moved to another, and another one of my colleagues is being shunted all over the place.”
She added: “These agency workers are being brought in to cover staff shortages, but we wouldn’t have so many people off with sickness and stress if this whole restructure was managed properly in the first place.
“The whole thing is a shambles.”
The Express reported last month that around 50 cleaners, caterers and janitors put their names to an official dispute with Renfrewshire Council over what they called unfair changes to their terms and conditions.
They said they were unable to adhere to new working hours or to work in a new school due to caring responsibilities.
Now GMB trade union - which represents these workers - says it has served Renfrewshire Council a “working under protest notice” which means that, although some people are working under the new terms and conditions, they do not accept them.
A total of 12 workers have added their names to this action.
Kirsten Muat, GMB organiser for Renfrewshire, said: “Members have told Renfrewshire Council the impact this remodelling is having on their mental health.
“They’re seeing that there are still many vacancies unfilled and are worried about this.
“Renfrewshire Council has pushed ahead with the remodelling regardless.
“Members have been given no choice but to notify Renfrewshire Council they are working under protest.”
Renfrewshire Council has consistently said the new working arrangements are backed by most staff and that they will work with employees to find a solution to their personal circumstances.
A spokesman said: “We’ve been working with our staff and trade unions over a substantial period to ensure we can implement a refreshed, modern facilities management service which gives our staff improved opportunity for career progression, higher salaries and further training - and all trade unions, including GMB, have supported these proposals.
“All staff currently working within the service are being offered the opportunity to apply for the new facilities operative posts before an external recruitment exercise takes place.
“A current advert is out for temporary staff to cover current roles until the permanent recruitment exercise takes place.”
The spokesman said the agency which recruited the staff had used previous information when advertising the roles and has been asked to update the job role and hours to reflect the current jobs available.