School workers vote on strikes over pay changes

Schools across Scotland could close as support staff vote on strike action over changes to pay and conditions.

GMB Scotland is balloting cleaning and janitorial staff across six council areas after accusing facilities management company OCS of imposing wide-ranging changes without consultation.

The union, one of the biggest in the public sector, said the multinational has ignored recognition agreements to impose the changes in breach of Scottish Government guidance.

John McCartney, GMB Scotland organiser, said members in primary and secondary schools, in East Lothian, Falkirk, Fife, Inverclyde, Moray and Stirling, are being balloted on industrial action including strikes.

He accused multinational OCS, which made £135 million profit last year, of ignoring recognition agreements with the union to impose the changes and urged executives to halt the plans immediately and enter talks.

McCartney said: “We are disappointed OCS has chosen to attempt to force these changes into place when there are clear and established channels for worker consultation through their union representatives.

“Instead of opening those channels, managers have ignored long-standing union recognition agreements in an attempt to steamroller these changes into place without consultation.

“That is in direct breach of the Scottish Government’s Fair Work First guidelines for public sector contractors. It is unacceptable and will not stand.”

The union is also writing to councillors, MPs and MSPs in the council areas to warn the company’s actions flout the Scottish Government’s rules for employers and contractors in the public sector.

Under TUPE legislation, staff being transferred to a new business are ensured the same pay and conditions but OCS have told new workers of a raft of changes.

The proposed changes include wages being calculated on hours worked instead of fixed monthly salaries; mandatory clocking in; and changing the pay day from the 25th of the month to the 14th meaning FES workers must wait 48 days between September and November wages.

Tradesmen and other facility management staff with the Stirling-based FES have also been ordered to accept the changes without consultation when OCS takes over on 1 October.

McCartney said: “These are significant changes with many potential consequences for workers.

“The changes to how and when they are paid, for example, are capable of impacting our members in ways that management have not even discussed never mind addressed.

“Attempting to impose such change unilaterally has caused a great deal of anger and frustration among workers and that is likely to be reflected in our consultative ballot on industrial action.

“We would urge the company to pause these plans, reengage with our union and find a fair way forward.”

ENDS