Thank you to all members and activists who voted in the recent pay ballot and for all your hard work in getting out the vote.
The result of the consultative ballot is:
79% of those voting voted to reject the offer
67% of those voting voted to take industrial action, up to and including strike action in pursuit of the Joint Trade Unions pay claim.
We will inform the employer of these results tomorrow and invite them to get back around the negotiating table.
We will discuss the possibility of co-ordination of activity with our sister trade unions tomorrow and start to put in place the process for moving towards holding a statutory industrial action ballot. We will need to discuss this, and the strategy for this, with you all at the Local Government conference on the 30th November so please do start to have the conversation in your branches about what you think you could deliver (all out strike action, action short of strike, targeted action etc) and what support you would need to help secure the required turnout.
There will be further communication on this in due course but in the meantime please diarise the following:
· 9th November – TOMORROW – if any activists are available there will be a small demonstration happening outside CoSLA HQ at 12.30pm, Verity House 19 Haymarket Yards, Edinburgh EH12 5BH, in advance of the SJC AGM.
· Demonstration outside the meeting of COSLA Leaders meeting at 10am on Friday 30th November (the start time for the Local Government conference will be moved to accommodate – Delia will advise of these arrangements) at Verity House 19 Haymarket Yards, Edinburgh EH12 5BH.
· Demonstration outside the Scottish Parliament on 12th December in advance of the Scottish Budget (time tbc).
Best wishes,
Johanna Baxter
Head of Local Government (Bargaining)
Click for full details of the claim and offer, posters and leaflets.