On Wednesday 20th August up
to 150,000 public sector workers in Scotland will be taking unified
action on pay. GMB, UNISON and Unite members will all be on strike because local
government workers have been offered a measly 2.5% a year deal over three
years. This after the Cost and Price Index published last week shows the cost
of living going up by 4.4%. This sudden jump has called the government’s bluff.
Everybody knows the CPI doesn’t reflect the real increase in prices we face.
What is very significant is that PCS
members employed by the Scottish government will be taking action on the same
day. The SNP-run Scottish administration has discretion over their employees’ pay
deals. Despite whining about rising prices and public sector wages falling
behind under New Labour, in order to win the Glasgow East by-election, the SNP
intends to hold most of their own workers to 2% for the next 3 years – a real
pay cut. So the Group Executive Committee of PCS is calling members out for a
second day of strike action on the 20th. This is the first
industrial action taken against a devolved administration in Britain.
Group Vice-president Malcolm Clark told ‘Socialist Appeal,’ “The divisive approach adopted by management is quite pronounced and this is reflected in the response from members: many of those (especially more senior staff) in policy areas are (relatively) being looked after, whilst other staff are experiencing the full impact of the 2% cap. It is in the likes of the large call-centre type offices that we have the main concentrations of low paid members and it was there that the previous strike received the biggest response and where most of the current support for the action is coming from. As is usually the case, it is those least able to afford strike action that are most willing to make the sacrifice to fight for decent treatment.
“From the meetings I have held over
the last few days, covering a variety of different work environments, I get the
impression that the mood is varied too. No-one is supportive of the management
approach, but some are resigned to it, especially since they imposed their pay
increase last week. However, most will carry on supporting their union, even
though they recognise this will not be a quick campaign, and their mood is
hardening.
“When the new administration came in
last year, they were keen for officials to look at the ‘Virginia model of government’, with seminars
and other events being held for senior
managers. The ‘Virginia model’ looks at the broad
organisation of government, but also has some specific recommendations on
‘reward’ for staff. Amongst the recommendations contained on slides from a presentation
by a representative from the state of Virginia
to managers in the Scottish Government last year were the following:
‘Get them [staff] excited!’
‘Walk the walk’
‘Encouraging the heart (Feed the Big
Dogs!)’
‘Make sure the top performers get
theirs first’
‘Allocate rewards downwards until
resources are depleted’
‘Let the big dogs keep the others in
line’.
It now looks like the new
administration are using such measures."
The SNP are being deliberately
divisive, offering experienced, comparatively well-paid staff incentives while
fobbing off low-paid employees with the bare minimum – a real wage cut. This
shows them up for what they really are – a capitalist party. Scotland should
be effectively paralysed next Wednesday. The working class is waking up.
