Scottish Local Authority Craft Workers to Take Strike Action

LONDON, June 2/PRNewswire/ --

- Attn: Scottish News Desks, Industrial Correspondents

5,000 Unite craft members in Scotland will take 24 hour strike action
from Monday 2nd June and have warned that they will hold 24 hour stoppages
every second Monday after that date.

Unite craft workers in many local authorities including Glasgow, Dundee,
Edinburgh, Fife, and North & South Lanarkshire are to strike over being
forced to work longer hours than their colleagues working along side them in
Scotland and in the rest of the UK and a below inflation pay offer. Scottish
local authority craft workers currently work a 39 hour week while craft
workers in the rest of the UK, and other local authority workers in Scotland
work 37 hours.

Five years ago other local authority workers in Scotland had their hours
reduced from 39 hours to 37 without any loss of pay.

Unite members have also rejected the 2.45% pay offer as other workers in
Scottish local authorities received a higher pay increase.

Unite national officer, John Allott, said: "Our members have been treated
with contempt by Scottish local government employers by offering dedicated
workers a below inflation 2.45% pay rise and the refusal to grant craft
workers a 37 hour week as all other local authority workers have in Scotland
and the throughout the UK. This is indefensible and our members have had
enough and are determined to end this injustice.

"I hope employers will see sense and come back to the negotiating table
so that further planned industrial action can be avoided."

Notes to editors:

1. Craft workers taking strike action include plumbers, gas fitters
electricians and lift engineers. 2. Ucatt members have also voted for strike
action. 3. Strike action will affect many local authorities in Scotland.

Source: Unite the Union

Contact: Unite press officer, Jody Whitehill, +44(0)7768-693956 or Unite national officer, John Allott, +44(0)7867-786-807, Unite official Alan Finlayson, +44(0)7951-520649 and Jimmy Farrelly, +44(0)7810-157903

2008-06-01 19:02:50 0374181 PRNEWSWIRE