Support the Stow college strikers
Over ninety UNISON members in Stow College’s support services are in dispute over pay and jobs. Many are low paid with some earning just above the national minimum wage.The management have implemented a pay freeze but with inflation over 5%, electricity and gas prices rising by 18% and the ever increasing cost of food this is in effect a pay cut. The college management cannot use the excuse that the pay freeze is to save jobs as they also intend to privatise some support services.
This week the UNISON members from the Catering Department at Stow College started a three day strike. But in a bid to ensure that students and other staff don’t go hungry – they have been making and serving food on the picket line – from their “Solidarity Sausage Stand” (see picture)
Support staff at the college are taking industrial action as part of a campaign to achieve the Living Wage for its members. Staff are angry at the college’s failure to implement the measure, despite announcing plans to do so as part of last year’s pay deal. Workers also say the college’s decision not to give workers a pay increase will amount to a real-term pay cut and hit the lowest paid workers hardest.
Chris Greenshields, a UNISON steward at Stow College, said:
“Our members provide valuable services to staff and students at the college, but many are living on poverty pay. Our members would rather be in the kitchen and Canteen cooking lunch – but if Stow won’t treat us fairly then we’ll cook up up a storm on the picket line
“We’ve had great support from other college staff and the students individually and officially from the Students association. In fact it seems that everybody supports us except senior management at Stow.
“Going on strike isn’t a decision that we’ve taken lightly – we know it will inconvenience people, but to try and make up for that – and show our thanks for the support we’ve had from Students and staff – if they come down to the picket line we’ll do our best to make sure they don’t go hungry.
Brian Smith, branch secretary of UNISON’s City of Glasgow branch, said:
“The management at Stow College have implemented a pay freeze, but with inflation over 5 per cent, electricity and gas prices rising by 18 per cent and the ever increasing cost of food this is in effect a pay cut and will hit the lowest paid hardest. The college has also decided not to follow the Scottish Government’s minimum standards of a £250 payment for workers earning under £21,000.
“Stow College cannot use the excuse that the pay freeze is to save jobs as they also intend to privatise some support services. In the past, UNISON members have helped to defend Stow College from attacks from the Scottish Funding Council which threatened the very existence of the college.
“The management should recognise our members’ commitment to the college and its students by treating them fairly.”
