Long-running pay dispute involving Dumfries and Galloway Council staff resolved

A protracted-running dispute between Dumfries and Galloway council workers and native authority bosses is over after three main unions accepted a pay deal.

Each Unison and Unite introduced their members voted to simply accept the Scottish Authorities and Conference of Scottish Native Authorities (COSLA) newest supply.

The brand new deal will ship a flat price enhance of greater than £1,900 for all staff incomes lower than £39,000 a 12 months – based mostly on a 36-hour working week– backdated to April 1 this 12 months.

Unison and Unite adopted GMB Scotland who accepted the supply final Friday. All three unions beneficial to their members to simply accept the deal forward of
voting.

Johanna Baxter, Unison Scotland head of native authorities, mentioned: “Unison members have spoken and voted overwhelmingly to simply accept the improved pay supply and we are going to now press COSLA to get this cash into members’ pay packets as rapidly as potential.

“However let’s be very clear – it was solely as a result of Unison members took, and have been ready to take, industrial motion that this improved pay supply was even made.

“In the event that they hadn’t stood as much as their employer they might have been compelled to simply accept a derisory two per cent enhance.

“It was their collective energy that compelled the Scottish Authorities to simply accept that they had a job to play and provide you with more cash nevertheless it ought to by no means have gotten to that.

“The lesson the Scottish Authorities must take from that is that they should fund native authorities, and the employees that serve our native communities, correctly and Unison will proceed to steer the marketing campaign for funding in councils and for workers to get the pay, reward and recognition they deserve.”

A turnout of 64 per cent of Unison members noticed 67 per cent vote in favour with 33 per cent rejecting it. Greater than 70 per cent of Unite members balloted voted in favour of the revised supply.

Sharon Graham, Unite normal secretary, mentioned: “Unite’s members have voted to simply accept a pay supply that may assist them make ends meet throughout this price of dwelling disaster.

“Our members led from the entrance and all through on this nationwide dispute which began in the course of the Edinburgh Fringe, after which unfold throughout Scotland.

“The bundle will ship higher jobs, phrases and situations for our members in native authorities and they need to be congratulated for the courageous stand they took.”