Border Telegraph | News | Council workers get set for strike

Wednesday, 7th January, 2009

Published: Tuesday, 23rd September, 2008 12:30

Council workers get set for strike

By Alexa Brown

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THE Borders has braced itself for more disruption tomorrow as hundreds of council workers strike for the second time against a pay rise described by union bosses as ‘a slap in the face’.

It was hoped that talks organised by unions UNITE, Unison and GMB Scotland after a 24 hour strike last month would resolve the dispute which kicked off after bosses rejected a 2.5 per cent pay increase.

But, no negotiation was reached and local authority staff all across the Borders will walk out today, including nursery nurses, librarians and school cooks.

Alex McLuckie, GMB Scotland Senior Organiser for Public Services, said: “We started these negotiations with the management saying they wished to resolve matters and we ended up two days later with the employer's saying they did not have a mandate to negotiate.

“GMB Scotland believes this is a slap in the face to council workers who believed the employers were genuine when they said they wished to resolve this matter.

“This now means the union will have no alternative but to recommence industrial action if we want to improve the below-inflation offer of 2.5 per cent.”

Up to 20 local schools are set to remain closed today, including Earlston High, Kelso High and Newtown St Boswells and Glendinning Primaries.

For those schools that do remain open, catering, cleaning and bus services will be affected, and parents are asked to send their child to school with a packed lunch.

Meanwhile, UNISON members staged demonstrations against the proposed pay rise across the region on Monday, including protests in Galashiels and Eyemouth.

Union members in Galashiels donned eyecatching outfits for a protest in Bank Street Gardens, claiming the proposed pay increase was not sufficient to compete with the rising cost of living.

UNISON lead negotiator Dougie Black said: “The action was very successful in drawing attention to the unfairness that local council workers face. The further action on Wednesday will send a very clear message to the employers.

“Your failure to improve your offer after making public commitments to do so has angered your staff. Taking further industrial action is regrettable, but we have no alternative given the employers’ behaviour over this.”

Schools set to be closed tomorrow (Wednesday) include:

Burnfoot Primary and Nursery

Coldstream Nursery

Drumlanrig Primary and Nursery

Earlston High School

Galashiels Academy

Glendinning Primary and Nursery

Halyrude Primary

Hawick High School – S1-S3 only (open for S4-S6)

Kelso High School

Kirkhope Nursery

Langlee Support Centre