Election back-up plan drafted over strike fears
as “below inflation” during pay negotiations.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s craft workers are rightly angry, not only at the below inflation pay offer at a time of punishing living costs, but at the potentially illegal and costly actions by Renfrewshire Council.”
Unite say Renfrewshire Council’s decision to “remove” their members from their duties is potentially a breach of the Employment Relations Act (1999).
The union says the move could “cause chaos” at Thursday’s poll and has accused council chiefs of reneging on an agreed backdated pay award to July 2019.
James O’Connell, Unite industrial officer, added: “Unite’s members in the trades and our apprentices have reached the end of their patience with Renfrewshire Council’s mind games.
“Strike action will now hit the forthcoming elections and we do not rule out taking further action beyond May 6.
“The council should get back round the negotiating table, rather than deliberately taking steps to escalate this dispute.”
Renfrewshire Council says it hopes to continue negotiations, but has drafted up plans to make sure the election goes ahead.
A spokesperson for the authority said: “We remain fully committed to continuing positive negotiations with Unite the Union to find an agreed position for our Building Services workforce as quickly as possible, and a pre-arranged meeting with Unite has taken place.
“A recent offer to our staff arising from our negotiations was agreed and recommended for acceptance to their members, but was unfortunately rejected by the workforce.”
The spokesperson added: “As we have been notified by the union that their members will undertake industrial action during the dates of the upcoming local government election, we have put in place our contingency arrangements to ensure it continues to run as planned.”