Council workers get ready to go on strike again

Oct 2 2008 by Shirley Bartynek, Hamilton Advertiser

PUBLIC sector workers across Lanarkshire are set to stage further industrial action next week.

Call centre services run by both South and North Lanarkshire councils will be hit by strike action between Monday and Friday.

Repairs assistants, customer service officers and switchboard operators are expected to walk out as part of the campaign for more pay.

South Lanarkshire Council’s call centre, based in Blantyre, deals with calls from the public concerning a range of council services including roads and lighting registration, planning and environmental services. It is expected to be hit by the strike.

Calls to the council's routine housing repair service and main switchboard are also likely to be affected.

A council spokesman said emergency housing repairs would still be answered.

Anyone requiring assistance in this respect should call the council on 0800 242024.

However, the council point out that only “genuine emergencies” would be dealt with as a result of the strike action.

The spokesman added that any non-emergency repairs can be logged using the council’s website at www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk

They will be dealt with on a priority basis after October 13.

Other emergency numbers that will remain in operation during the strike in South Lanarkshire are: registration of births, deaths and marriages, 01698 897700; building standards (dangerous buildings), 07795 455451; roads and transportation services (roads and lighting faults), 07795 090681; and environmental services (01355 806988).

Services organised by Northline, North Lanarkshire Council’s customer contact centre, will also be hit.

Northline provides information on bookings, recruitment, telephone payments and general enquiries.

A spokesman said they would have to give priority to urgent calls and warned other callers that there would be an increase in waiting times.

Gavin Whitefield, chief executive of North Lanarkshire Council, said: “The information that has been supplied to us is incomplete and we are working to have as clear a picture as soon as possible of disruption to Northline services during this industrial action.

“Our priorities are to keep residents informed of the proposed action and work to reduce any disruption experienced.

“I would advise anyone who may have to use the Northline service next week to check the council’s website www.northlan.gov.uk for up-to-the-minute information on how the service has been affected, as the situation may change.”

The move follows last week’s one-day walk out by 20,000 Lanarkshire council workers.

Unions are angry that workers have been offered a 2.5 per cent increase – with inflation currently running at 4.7 per cent.

Union leaders, who are demanding a five per cent claim or £1000 wage increase for their members, warned that they would step up their strike action in October if their demands were not met.

Stephen Smellie, branch secretary of UNISON South Lanarkshire, said: “We are now launching selective strikes across the county.

“We plan to target different groups who will strike for one week at a time.

“We are holding talks with COSLA today (Thursday) and we do hope that this matter will be resolved and that we won’t need to go through with this selective strike action, however we have put our plans in place.”