IT Dispute in Glasgow, Unison Secures a Positive Result

An example of the strength of the Union in protecting jobs and services has been the long running IT dispute in Glasgow, below is the statement from our colleagues in Glasgow on the positive result that their action resulted in last week.

Glasgow council IT workers have voted to accept a deal that protects their jobs, terms and conditions and current employment status in any new set-up with CGI, the global corporation seeking to take over the running of the city’s IT service.

Workers who are currently council employees will be seconded and thus remain council employees. Workers who are currently council-linked employees in the present joint partnership venture set-up will remain council-linked employees in any new arrangement with CGI. The previous guarantees of no compulsory redundancies and no relocation from Glasgow remain for all workers including the small number of our members directly employed by the current joint partnership venture with no linkage to the council.

The deal will also see a workforce board created with senior council officers and council politicians which will govern over matters related to the workers’ jobs. UNISON will collectively bargain directly with Glasgow City Council via this unique arrangement. The council also state that they accept the principle that any new workers recruited to the posts should be council-linked employees although the practical arrangements for this are still to be agreed.

All UNISON members took one day of strike action in November followed-up by selective strike action from 1 December by 39 members. A further 15 members joined the selective action on 17 January.

The deal is a positive outcome for the 230 members. UNISON membership has increased by 40% in the past six months. Against a background of key senior council officers pushing for CGI to take over the running of the city’s IT service and a political leadership unwilling to rule it out, the UNISON members should be congratulated on what they have achieved.

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