GMB Slams North Lanarkshire Council’s ‘Shameful’ Cuts To Janitorial Staff Jobs And Pay
GMB Slams North Lanarkshire Council’s ‘Shameful’ Cuts To Janitorial Staff Jobs And Pay
GMB Scotland has today (Tuesday 5 March) slammed a ‘shameful’ decision by North Lanarkshire Council (NLC) to impose changes to school janitorial services which will see the loss of forty-three jobs and significant cuts to take home pay.
Against the backdrop of a near £30 million cuts agenda NLC’s Transformation Committee drove through the recommendations of its Facilities Service Review, resulting in the removal of all contractual overtime alongside the redundancies which could cost staff up to £4,000 a year.
Joint trade union representatives in NLC made last ditch deputations to the committee in an effort to fend-off the cuts, after councillors and officials bypassed the formal trade union consultation forums.
GMB will now consult is members affected on its next steps, including the possibility of moving to an industrial action ballot.
GMB Scotland Organiser Benny Rankin said: “The reality of a second decade of austerity in NLC is becoming clearer by the day and it is shameful.
“These changes to our members’ jobs, and contractual terms and conditions were imposed by the committee. There was no consultation with trade unions.
“Our janitorial staff are an integral part of the school environment. They keep our kids’ schools safe and secure; they shouldn’t be treated as an afterthought in the pursuit of cuts.
“Make no mistake, this is what political failure looks like and the price is paid by our communities and staff on the front-line of our local services.
“It’s time politicians at all levels stopped playing the grievance card and constitutional blame games. Did they come into politics to make difference or to oversee the management of decline?
“NLC’s elected representatives and officials can be assured that GMB will do everything we can to fight these cuts to our members’ livelihoods.”
ENDS
Contact: GMB Scotland Organiser Benny Rankin on 07912 560808 or Peter Welsh, GMB Scotland Communications, on 07976 447077.
