Bust inflation union urges

Feb 21 2008

COUNCILLORS across South Lanarkshire have been urged to advise the Convention of Scottish Local Authoritiies (CoSLA) that council staff deserve a better pay rise.

The call comes from Secretary of the South Lanarkshire branch of UNISON, Stephen Smellie, in a letter addressed to all councillors.

Smellie points out that a three-year pay offer of 2.2 per cent for 2008, 2.3 per cent for 2009, and 2.2 per cent for 2012 has been rejected by the union.

Smellie said: “We have just completed a two-year deal where in both years the 2.5 per cent rise was below the rate of inflation.

“In short, it is a very poor offer that equates to a pay cut for three years.”

The union stated that the offer would result in a 42p-an-hour increase for a cleaner — after three years.

If the cleaner worked only on a part-time basis, the rise would mean an increase of just £2 a week.

The union will meet with CoSLA on March 3 for further discussion.