Strike Ballot Gets Under Way To ‘Defend Dundee’ From Council Cuts Imposition

Strike Ballot Gets Under Way To ‘Defend Dundee’ From Council Cuts Imposition

‘Do you trust John Alexander and his council administration with the future of your job?’ That’s the question trade unions are posing to members across Dundee City Council as a three week strike ballot against a cuts imposition gets underway today (Monday 20 May).

GMB Scotland will ballot it’s members in home care, parks and environment, education, bereavement and leisure and culture services across DCC until Monday 10 June, in a direct response to the council’s decision to impose its Managing Workforce Change Policy.

Left unchallenged, the policy will affect every member of staff in DCC and its Leisure & Culture arms length organisation, resulting in:

• A removal of a commitment to no compulsory redundancies;
• A two year cap to the flexible retirement scheme; and
• A reduction in the cash conservation scheme from three years to one year.

The imposition was controversially voted through by the council administration with the support of the Lord Provost at the meeting of 18th February.

GMB Scotland Organiser Helen Meldrum said: “This is a clear shift in policy by the administration from consultation to imposition on the future of our members terms, conditions and livelihoods. There is no way we will let this go unchallenged.

“That’s why we are campaigning for our members to vote ‘yes’ for strike action and ‘yes’ for industrial action short of strike because the only reason the council has for imposing this agenda is to devalue terms, cut pay and make working people redundant in the years to come.

“We think the people of Dundee have had enough of politicians meekly accepting the cut and gut of decent work and services on which we all depend but this council is sadly lacking in leadership and purpose.

“Let’s be clear the buck stops with the council leader John Alexander. He has the power to put a stop to this now and bring trade unions and errant council officials to the negotiating table - but he is missing in action.

“This about the future of local service delivery, whether its caring for our most vulnerable or maintaining community facilities. If local politicians cannot do the job themselves then staff doing the hard graft every day will defend Dundee from these cuts.”

ENDS

Contact: GMB Scotland Organiser Helen Meldrum on 07958 156838 or Peter Welsh, GMB Scotland Communications, on 07976 447077.