800 union activists out in support of homelessness workers
About 800 union activists have held a rally to show support for homelessness workers who have been on strike for 12 weeks in a pay row.
The Glasgow City Council employees are in dispute over a regrading claim and are now involved in one of the country’s longest-running current stoppages.
About 70 workers, who help homeless people and deal with tenancy issues, are members of Unison, which is holding its national conference in the city this week.
The rally heard from the union’s UK general secretary Dave Prentis as well as two of the strikers.
Danny Phillips, of Unison Scotland, said most of the 1,000 delegates joined the hour-long demonstration in George Square tonight to call on council officials to “return with a reasonable and sensible offer”.
“Approximately 800 activists had a rally outside Glasgow City Chambers to show their support for the workforce and to call on the city council to come back to the table and hold discussions with us,” he said.
“It showed the full weight of the union is behind what the workers are doing and saying.
“They work with some of the most vulnerable people in society and they love doing their jobs – they are desperate to get back to work.”
A spokesman for the Labour-controlled council said an offer had been made which would lead to workers having a £5,000-a-year pay rise, adding: “We are bitterly disappointed that Unison has rejected this fantastic opportunity for their members to gain a pay rise in excess of £5,000 and advance their careers.
“The offer was open to all of the striking case workers and was subject only to those staff demonstrating their competence at the new grade.
“Unison say their members are already doing a job that merits a Grade 6 salary and we simply wish to ensure that all staff are able to work at that level before moving on.
“We have already agreed with Unison that, in the long term, the number of case workers working at the Grade 6 level should be 54 members of staff.
“Recent discussions have been about how we move towards that figure in the intervening period as well as the training and support we would provide for staff looking to move up a pay grade.”
A Unison official said: “This is just spin. Why would Unison turn down a fantastic offer? The fact is, our members were only being offered an interview to keep their own jobs, with the council giving them no guarantees at all. This completely ignores the points being made by homeless case workers.
“In truth, this offer will mean a few would get a new job and others would get nothing.
“This strike is now 12 weeks and as solid as ever. Glasgow need to sit down with us and come to a sensible agreement to take us all forward.”
One of the strikers, Stuart Graham, said: “We know this is having a massive impact on people who rely on our service, but we have been left with no option.”
Mr Prentis said: “Going on strike is always a last resort, and the 72 homelessness workers in Glasgow know that only too well but they have been left with no choice.
“These men and women support some of the most vulnerable people in the city. They deserve to be listened to and looked after in their fight for decent homelessness services and for their jobs.
“We are urging the council to come back to the negotiating table with a fair and realistic offer for all those involved.”
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