Schools – Page 2 – Unite CEC Branch

Universal Credit and backdated pay

If you receive Universal Credit the amount you get changes if your take-home pay changes. This includes awards of backdated pay. When your backpay for the 2022/23 local government pay settlement is paid on 22 December, your Universal Credit payment will either be less than you normally receive or your income may be too high to qualify for a payment and your claim will close.

Universal Credit is calculated on your personal circumstances. Because of this the Council do not know how, or if, you may be affected.

If your claim closes, you will see a message on your UC Journal telling you about this.

Will Universal Credit Payments Start Again Automatically?

EIS strike—advice for members in schools

On Thursday 24 November, teachers in the EIS will be on strike over pay.

The facts

All schools will be closed.

Staff who are not striking will be working from home.

Pupils on free school meals will get their Thursday lunch to take home on Wednesday.

There will be no clubs at schools, other than evening classes after 6pm.

Crossing the picket

Download the Council’s guide to industrial action for details (PDF)

Download Unite’s guide for members not involved in industrial action (PDF)

Working from home presents a question of whether this is crossing a picket. A picket line is not just a physical line, but one that can be crossed virtually.

The decision is yours.

Pay deal settled!

Unite members will be relieved to hear that the 2022 pay deal will now be implemented – finally!

Today COSLA confirmed that the sticking points of the 1 day’s annual leave and payment of SSSC registration fees will be in perpetuity as offered and accepted by a members’ ballot.

Despite pressure being applied to accept a partial deal, Unite would like to thank you all for your continued support and determination to get the full deal.

Together we will always be strong!

D0wnload the agreed 2022/23 pay deal letter (PDF) Download

In Edinburgh

The new rates, and your backpay, will be paid on 22 December 2022.

One day annual leave will be added to your entitlement soon. As the pay deal takes effect from April, there was around a half day accrued in the last leave year. We are in discussions about how this will be added to your entitlement.

For details of the pay deal, and to see a rough calculation of what it will mean for you, see our post from September.

Pay offer accepted—looking back on the strike

City Chambers demo on the first day of the 2022 strike. Photo by Craig Maclean.

Today, Unite members accepted the latest pay offer from COSLA, with 71% voting to accept. Read details of the offer and see what it means to you.

Edinburgh waste and cleansing workers led the fight for Scottish local government worker pay.

The strike proved what we knew all along—the undeniable value of waste and cleansing workers, the city’s disease prevention team whose work benefits citizens, businesses and tourists immeasurably, and the power these workers have when organised to take action. The impact was noticed within 12 hours. Edinburgh was turned upside down and this shock made the Scottish Government sit up and take it notice. The action of the waste and cleansing workers brought the First Minister to the table to negotiate a resolution, despite the government’s prior insistence that it had nothing to do with them.

Overwhelmingly, the public stood by us and recognised that our fight is their fight. The attacks on working people in this country are being resisted and we are at the forefront, showing that organised, disciplined workers are ready for the fight for fair pay to weather the cost of living crisis. Edinburgh residents and visitors have shown their support and solidarity, recognising that local government workers are essential, yet unappreciated and unvalued by the Scottish Government.

Vote YES for fair pay—week 4 of the ballot

The ballot for industrial action over pay was issued on 10 June. Many of you have now returned this, however we need all members to have their say in this crucial vote.

If you haven’t voted, please do so now.

If you haven’t received your ballot, call 0131 556 9676 immediately to check your details with the office and get a replacement ballot.

COSLA’s offer of a 2% rise—in fact a dramatic pay cut, given that inflation is currently at 11.7%—is a slap in the face to the dedicated workforce in the Council. We must take a stand against this, so are recommending all workers vote YES for industrial action.

We have been non-stop raising the issue of Council worker pay and speaking to members to ensure the success of this ballot. Below you can see some of our actions over the past few weeks.

Industrial action ballot announced—fight for fair pay now!

Ballot to strike over the 2% pay offer announced

Today, Unite announced that we are launching a ballot for industrial action in all Scottish local authorities.

Please see below for the notice of ballot for Edinburgh and information on what this means to you.

Notice to members of forthcoming industrial action ballot

The Union intends to conduct a ballot for industrial action of the following members: All members within the Waste Department and all members within the School Workplaces.

Voting papers will be sent out on the 10th of June 2022.

If you have not received a voting paper by the 24th of June, you should contact your workplace reps or the Edinburgh Office IMMEDIATELY.

The names of the members to be balloted are available by contacting your workplace reps or the Edinburgh Office. If you are entitled to vote in the ballot please check that you are on the list and that your address is accurately recorded.

Budget Day demo—united in our call to invest in Council workers and jobs

On Thursday, we braved the chill and snow to demonstrate outside the City Chambers in solidarity with fellow trade unionists, activists and concerned citizens as the Council met to approve next year’s budget.

Read the budget papers and watch a webcast of the budget meeting, which includes the full deputations summarised below.

The Council have delivered a balanced budget for 2022/23, thanks to an underspend in 2021/22 and a 3% Council Tax rise, however the forecast for the years following looks bleak, with a gap in 2023/24 of around £55m with this gap increasing around £25m each year thereafter. The Council have said there must be a ‘robust savings plan’—which we know by now, translates to more cuts.

The demonstrators sought to raise awareness of the impact of cuts and call for measures to tackle the crises we face today that will be worsened by further cuts and by failing to change how the Council delivers services. We need a shake up and we need it now.