Festival strike threat lifted as equal pay deal talks drag on

Published on Saturday 19 July 2008 11:21

FEARS of strike action by Edinburgh council staff during this year's Festival have been lifted while negotiations over an equal pay deal continue.

Thousands of workers are set to have their job evaluated by the council, in a move to 'single status' – scrapping the maze of different pay scales and giving staff a fair rate for the jobs they do.

Talks got under way with union leaders in May, and council managers were hoping a ballot of members would be completed within six to eight weeks. This could, however, have led to summer strike action if the deal was rejected, which was a fear privately held by senior politicians.

However, it is now understood that negotiations could actually run into next year, with union leaders warning that the council "underestimated" how long the process would take.

Although the majority of workers should be better off if the deal is accepted, nearly 3000 employees could effectively face a pay cut. Their salaries will be frozen for three years, by which time their new wage bracket should have caught up with the previous level.

This is one of the major sticking points, along with plans to change the hours that qualify for evening rates and make some staff work on public holidays for the first time.

Union negotiators are due to meet with council officials again at the end of July.

John Stevenson, a spokesman for Unison's Edinburgh branch, said: "We are frustrated by the delays. I think the council has underestimated the complexity of this, and we're running behind a lot of (councils] in Scotland.

"It's in both our interests to get this sorted as soon as possible – we have no interest in delaying this, but we've had no real negotiation – so far it's more about receiving information."

Mr Stevenson also reiterated concerns that the local authority has budgeted for only a three per cent rise in its overall wage bill – around 10.5 million – which is thought to be among the lowest in Scotland.

As a single status deal has never been implemented, the council has already faced legal challenges from many low-paid workers. More than 15m has been paid in equal pay claims.

But the last round of settlements expired in March, and the council can now expect more claims to be submitted. These will only stop once the equal pay deal is finalised.

City finance leader Gordon Mackenzie said today: "All of us, including the unions, are agreed that the current situation cannot continue.

"Having a pay system which is open to challenge and is unaffordable is against the interests of Edinburgh taxpayers and the interests of those who provide them with services.

"We are sorting this, not just by meeting legitimate claims from the past, but by transforming the council so that it is protected from these claims in the future.

"We believe we are proposing the most effective and modern package of any Scottish council, and will help Edinburgh to be one of the top-performing local authorities in the country."