Council standstill as stoppage bites

Aug 22 2008 by Richard Wilkins, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

Council standstill as stoppage bites

COUNCIL services, including schools and bin collections, were disrupted on Wednesday when 1,400 Big County Unison members staged a 24-hour walk-out over pay.

They were joined in their protest by colleagues from the GMB and Unite unions.

The 24-hour stoppage saw a host of services affected across Perth and Kinross.

School staff, cleansing and environmental protection, leisure and recreation workers, and residential home and care staff all took part in the walk-out.

Unison’s local branch secretary Wilma Armstrong said: “Members are angry that the employers want them to lock them into 2.5% increases for the next three years, when inflation is still rising and set to continue.

“The 2.5% offer is already a pay cut.

“Local government workers are already amongst the lowest paid in the public sector. At the lowest level staff stand to gain the princely sum of 46p after three years.”