Aberdeen City Council workers ballot for industrial action over proposed contract changes and “fire and rehire” concerns.
The GMB Scotland union gave notice on March 3rd. They’re holding a ballot on industrial action. This is due to planned contract changes. The council wants to cut the work week. It would go from 37 to 35 hours.
They also plan to freeze worker pay. Last month, councillors talked about “fire and rehire”. They want to use it only as a last resort. The GMB union started their vote on Monday. Employees will vote for three weeks.
Keir Greenaway spoke about it. He said councils shouldn’t treat workers this way. An internal poll occurred before the ballot. Ninety-three percent opposed the plans. Eighty-nine percent supported strikes.
Sean Robertson also commented on the matter for the union. Robertson said workers strongly oppose the plans. They feel dismayed by the potential actions. He added “fire and rehire” is unacceptable.
The council responded with a statement. They said they adjusted the proposals. They claim they’re preserving pay. The council wants feedback from unions and employees now. The council hopes unions will continue to negotiate.
They want them to avoid a strike. The council thinks they can resolve things through discussion instead.