Dundee council workers ballot for strike action

Jim McFarlane Dundee City Unison branch secretary (personal capacity) 

Thousands of trade unionists at Dundee City Council and its arms length Leisure Trust are being balloted for strike action. The SNP-controlled council slashed terms and conditions without consultation at a meeting in February.

The policies imposed were to reduce flexible retirement to a maximum of two years, cutting pay protection from three years to one year for anyone displaced from their job through service redesign and opening the door to compulsory redundancies after having a long-standing policy against such measures.

UNISON, GMB and Unite members voted overwhelmingly in consultative ballots for industrial action following this attack on long held terms and conditions.

Every ballot was above the turnout threshold set by the Tory Government. They have sent a clear message that they are prepared to take action.

Following the outcome of those ballots, the council agreed to enter into talks over the changes. However they did not suspended or withdraw those changes, therefore the trade union side are proceeding to an official Industrial Action ballot that will run to the first week in June.

The trade unions are actively building for action. Mass meetings are being held and regular bulletins distributed. Members have had enough and know that if the council can get away with this there will be more to come. 

Workers have been encouraged by the recent victory by Dundee Home Care workers. That example, along with other disputes by council workers in Glasgow, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, Clackmannanshire and Angus, have given confidence.

The first minister Nicola Sturgeon said in her speech to the recent STUC Congress in Dundee that the Fair Work principles are not optional for employers. Yet just 100 yards from where she made that speech an SNP-run council passed these new policies.

This irony has not been lost on council workers. Talks will continue with the employer while the ballots are taking place but the local councillors should be well aware that the trade unions and their members will not let this drag on.

Ultimately, it’s only by threatening or taking industrial action that can defend jobs and terms and conditions. This is just another example of SNP-run councils carrying out attacks.