Unite demands overdue payments and COSLA pay rise
Unite the union confirmed today (Friday 15 December) around 300 craft members employed by West Lothian Council will take several rounds of strike action in an increasingly bitter dispute over money owed to the workforce.
Strike action will take place on 19, 20 and 21 December followed by a further two days of action on 3 and 4 January 2024. The membership supported strike action by 96.3 per cent, and previously took strike action from 17 until 19 October.
The dispute centres on the 2007 agreement covering craft workers employed by local authorities and outsourced workplaces who maintain council buildings and housing. The agreement covers a range of trades including joiners, plasterers, bricklayers, labourers, painters, and electricians.
West Lothian Council, to date, has refused to apply arrangements that ensure pay progression for craft workers who have undertaken, and continue to undertake, additional tasks which they entitled to under the terms of the agreement.
Industrial action will directly impact housing services and council buildings. Council house repairs will be significantly delayed, and empty houses will remain unfit to be let out.
Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: “West Lothian Council is digging a deeper and deeper hole for itself. Not only is it refusing to pay our members for the additional tasks carried out but now they have also chosen to delay a pay increase in time for Christmas.
“Unite’s craft members will have their union’s full support in the fight to have their jobs, pay and conditions respected by this Scrooge council as they begin their latest rounds of strike action.”
Unite can further confirm that West Lothian Council has stated that they will not be including the Scotland-wide COSLA craft workers’ pay increase in the December pay run citing a “lack of time” for processing the payments.
Graeme Turnbull, Unite industrial officer, added: “Around 300 craft workers will resume strike action due to West Lothian Council’s callous behaviour. Instead of trying to resolve this dispute, the council has decided to pour petrol on the flames of our members’ anger by also delaying a well-deserved pay increase.”
“We are talking about significant sums of money for workers and their families which is being unfairly delayed and denied to them. Our members have no choice but to take strike action because this stingy council seems incapable of having any festive feelings.”
