Glasgow city council reaches pay deal with union to avert fire-and-rehire plan
‘Strong and fair’ proposal to be taken to members’ ballot after previous offer led Unison to walk out of negotiations Glasgow city council has reached an agreement with the trade union Unison over pay and grading, averting one of the UK’s biggest ever fire-and-rehire exercises. Talks between the council and the GMB, Unite and Unison unions previously broke down when Unison refused to ballot its…
Glasgow city council has successfully negotiated a pay deal with Unison, avoiding a widespread fire-and-rehire scheme. The previously rejected proposal would have led to wage reductions for 11% of staff, but the council is now promising to maintain current salaries for three years. Talks with unions GMB, Unite, and Unison stalled after Unison rejected the new pay and grading system aimed at resolving historical equal pay issues.
This prompted the council to notify 23,000 non-teaching workers of the potential dismissals and rehiring on less favorable terms, causing considerable outrage. The revised arrangement, described as "strong and fair" by council leader Ricky Bell, maintains pay for three years, with more negotiations ahead on issues like the new pay structure's equality implications.
Unison will ballot its members this month, with the ballot lasting four weeks. Bell expressed gratitude for Scottish government support, while Unison's Chris Sermanni emphasized that the resolution removes the threat of dismissal and re-engagement, paving the way for a fairer working environment.
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