Glasgow Education workers force big concessions from Labour council
Education workers and Unison members in Glasgow have won an important breakthrough in their dispute with the employer after a number of strike days. Hundreds of new members have been recruited to the union as a result. Once again it has been proven that determined and resolute strike action can win significant concessions.
As Unison branch secretary Brian Smith commented: “The members strike action significantly moved the employer from their original position to one which is now acceptable to the vast majority of the membership. UNISON membership has increased by 25% during the dispute. There are now 1,210 UNISON members out of a workforce of 1361 employees – a UNISON density level of nearly 90%. Well done once again to our members involved in the dispute.”
On the 31st October this year, over 1000 school support staff, all UNISON members, took strike action against Labour controlled Glasgow City Council in a dispute over healthcare tasks. The action was in response to the Council trying to impose the tasks on Pupil Support Assistants (PSA’s), Instructors and Care Workers in the Education Service. The argument of the union members was that the tasks were ‘health’ based and, as staff whose job is to support children’s education, this was an attempt to change their roles.
The tasks proposed were considered by members to be the reserve of specialist healthcare workers given the nature of many of the medical conditions that pupils present with. It was clear from the talks that had preceded the action that the Council considered that asthma, diabetes, epilepsy and anaphylactic shock were ‘low level’ tasks and that the lowest graded staff should undertake them with no formal training and no recognition of increased responsibility reflected in salaries. The annual salary of a PSA is £11,800.
Carol Ball, UNISON Convenor for Education explained “the strike action was not taken lightly by our members and was very much seen as a last resort. The simple fact was that child welfare must be a priority. We want to do our best for our pupils, however members were being asked to administer medicine and health care with little or no training”
Prior to the action beginning there were a series of members meeting held. Each meeting was extremely well attended. This level of participation was maintained throughout the period of the strike action.
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The first day’s strike action was called for Thursday 31st October and took place across the whole of the city. Members from all parts of Glasgow descended upon George Square at lunchtime to attend a rally outside the City Chambers where a meeting of Councillors was taking place. The rally was noisy and lively. There was an energy about the action and rallies that couldn’t help but enthuse all who participated whether as a striker or supporter.
Three selective strikes on the 6th, 14th and 19th November involving the North East, South and North West of the city applied pressure to management and kept the momentum of the dispute going. During the action talks were being held with management in an attempt to resolve the matter. Each time management failed to grasp the opportunity, even though UNISON had sought to explore the issue from various perspectives.
Days before the next planned city-wide strike day, Management produced a proposal that members considered at a further well attended mass meeting. A discussion and debate agreed to suspend the next strike day in order to fully consult with all members in a city-wide ballot.
Brian Smith said: “Our Pupil Support Assistant, Instructors and Care Worker members working in Education Services have voted overwhelmingly to accept the Council’s revised proposals. UNISON will now engage with management on agreeing an implementation plan based on the revised proposals which will include commitments to training, a revised administration of medicine policy and procedures, confirming the exact nature of tasks at grade 4 and 5, agreeing the selection criteria for the additional payment and increased number of grade 4’s.”
Once again, it has been proven by this latest action, that collective, determined industrial action can force an employer into a retreat.
Glasgow’s objectives contained in their original proposals have not been met due to the determined fightback by the members. In addition large numbers of new member applications have flooded into the Glasgow Unison office demonstrating that, far from putting workers off, workers are prepared to fight to defend their terms and conditions.
What was clear from this dispute was that the solidarity of the members who remained united and committed to their demands, together with a high level of participation and organisation was able to successfully prosecute this action. The UNISON branch is committed to learning and applying the lessons of the Education members strike action to future industrial action that will inevitably occur over the coming months in response to further cuts being imposed.
Also at issue arising from this dispute is the need to create a new workers party. The Labour controlled council, once again, attempted to intimidate members with the issuing of 45 day notices in a plan to ‘fire and rehire’ staff on lesser terms and conditions. Labour is no longer a party that represents the interests of working people but we do need political representation. The creation of a new workers party would give us an opportunity of having a voice in the council chambers around the country and a campaigning opposition to attacks, cuts and austerity.
