Hundreds of council workers in Glasgow are poised to take industrial action after their overtime payments were cut under a single status pay deal.
The local authority told workers last week that all overtime and Sunday working, for which employees had been paid either time and a half or double time, was now to be paid at single time rates.
Anne McNair from the Unison union said, “What they have done is reduced Sunday working from double time to single time rates and staff are saying, ‘We are not doing it.’
“There’s a lot of anger about it. If it’s critical overtime, then we will work. But if it’s voluntary overtime then they can’t force anyone to do it. We are advising people not to do it.”
One roads department worker accused the council of “reneging on a promise”.
He said, “The way this has been handled by the council is an absolute disgrace.
“There will be no out-of-hours standby service, and if there’s a road accident anywhere in the city there will be no cover for it or workers to shut the road off.”
Bury council has yet to settle its single status pay deal. The Unison union which lodged its first grievances to the employers last month says it has 1,000 equal pay claims from workers against the council.
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Some long-term workers could end up more than £2,000 a year out of pocket.
One worker who has been with the council for more than a dozen years said, “My salary would drop from £14,754 to £12,726.
“I’m not alone. There are many others in the same boat. We all have mortgages to pay. Everyone in this office is very angry.
“We were told that more than 60 percent of people would be better off, but no one thought it would be this bad for those losing out.”
Marion Stewart from the Unison union said, “About 16 percent, that’s around 1,000 people, would be worse off. They are predominantly female and predominantly in clerical admin.
“But no one would lose money right away if the offer is accepted. We have built in a three-year safety period and intend to use that to make sure that salaries rise, so no one is worse off.
“None of the three trade unions are recommending what is on the table.
“We have said we felt it is the best that can be achieved through negotiation and consultation.
“We will be balloting staff at the end of April and the beginning of May.”
Over 3,000 North Lanarkshire council workers have lodged appeals against moves to re-grade their jobs under the single status pay deal.
The 3,075 total represents about 20 percent of the 15,500 staff affected by single status measures.
Council chiefs forced through the scheme in November despite failing to reach an agreement with trade unions.
There is only three year protection for the 12 percent of workers who are losing pay in the deal.
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