Unite members vote for industrial action at Scottish Borders Council

Unite the union has today (25 June) confirmed that its membership in the Roads Department at Scottish Borders Council (SBC) have voted for industrial action. Of those voting, 86.4 per cent voted for strike action, and 95.7 per cent for action short of a strike, in a 78 per cent turnout.

The result follows a series of detrimental changes being imposed by SBC to the terms and conditions of Unite’s membership in the local authority’s Roads Department. The changes include a reduction in pension accrual as a result of cuts to pensionable overtime rates, and the removal of paid travel time. Strike action, and action short a strike, is expected to take place from mid-July 2019 to mid-October 2019.

Unite has strongly criticised SBC on there being no meaningful consultation or negotiation prior to its announcement of these imposed changes on the 15th April. If the changes are not reversed, then Unite will act to pursue claims for illegal deduction of wages. The ballot result also comes in the wake of figures released which show that SBC paid out £613,042 in exit packages for departing staff last year. Three of these packages are reported to total between £100,000 and £150,000.

Willie Thomson, Unite regional industrial officer, said: “Scottish Borders Council’s behaviour towards our members in the Roads Department has been disgraceful. The Council decision-makers seem more intent in targeting this group of hard working staff who have to brave all the elements, while at the same time being very relaxed and happy to agree exit packages for a number of individuals in management worth more than £100,000.”

“The public in the Borders should be rightly asking why are our Councillors and Council officials ripping up long established contractual arrangements with Roads Department workers which cost a fraction of these exit packages. If the Council think that our members are a soft touch then this strong mandate to proceed with strike action and action short of a strike should focus a few minds in the coming weeks. Unite will do everything we can to deliver fairness for this group of workers.”