Date: Wed 12 November 2008
A ballot of 1100 Scottish water workers has delivered a 65% majority for strike action, the main union UNISON announced today. A meeting of the UNISON Scottish Water Branch Committee being held today (Wednesday) will decide the union's next steps in the dispute over pay.
The ballot was called after Scottish Water imposed a pay award worth 2.4% over 12 months on their employees. UNISON members were infuriated at this action from the employers but also rejected the level of the award. Now UNISON members will pursue their fight for an improved offer with strike action. The form of the action will be decided later and in conjunction with the other trade unions, but is likely to consist of action involving all members.
Dave Wilkinson, Chair of UNISON's Scottish Water Branch said:
"This result clearly shows the level of anger at Scottish Water's imposition of a pay award and is also a clear rejection of an inadequate award. Not only have the employers acted irresponsibly in this matter but their award falls far short of inflation which currently is running at 5%. We have a window of opportunity to see if we can avoid disruptive strikes, I hope the employers take it and come back to the bargaining table to negotiate an improved offer."
Steve Scott, Branch Secretary of UNISON's Scottish Water Branch said:
"Our members are not the cause of inflation, they are the victims of it. Scottish Water is a highly successful public corporation and can afford to pay more. In recent years our members have saved the organisation well over £1 billion through reduced operating costs and improved efficiencies. It is now time for Scottish Water to recognise the contribution of the workers and reward our members with a fair and proper pay award."
ENDS
For Further Information Please Contact:
Dougie Black (Regional Organiser) - 07958 121 851 (m)
Dave Watson (Scottish Organiser) - 07958 122 409 (m)
Dave Wilkinson (Branch Chair) - 07875 872 819 (m)
Steve Scott (Branch Secretary) - 07875 879 388 (m)
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/water/waterpay.html
Notes to Editors:
UNISON is one of Scotland's largest trade unions representing over 160,000 members, and is the biggest union in the Scottish Water industry. Our 1,100 members in Scottish Water work in offices and depots throughout Scotland. They are represented in all the functions of the authority, including water and sewage treatment, water and sewer networks, laboratories, call centres and the design and construction of capital works.
Scottish Water is a publicly owned corporation established in 2002 and accountable to the Scottish Government. It provides water services to 2.4 million households and thousands of business and public sector customers in Scotland and employs around 3,700. Scottish Water has an annual turnover of over £1 billion. In 2007/8 Scottish Water delivered £625 million of Quality and Standards (Q&S) investment to improve treatment works, water mains, sewers and networks, and made a surplus of £195 million. Cost efficiencies totalling £1 billion in the corporation's first four years were passed on to customers.
The latest figure for the Retail Price Index inflation measure is 5.0% for the 12 month period to September 2008. The Government's preferred CPI figure was 5.2% for the same period. Source: Office for National Statistics, 14 October 2008. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?ID=19
In September 2008 Scottish Water breached six years of partnership working with its staff in order to impose a 15 month pay rise of 3% (which equates to an annual offer of 2.4%). The UNISON Scotland strike ballot began on Tuesday 21 October and closed on Monday 10 November.
UNISON Scotland news releases:
Stay in touch with UNISON Scotland's latest news releases on our website http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/news/index.html and frequent updates on our blog http://unison-scotland.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Action needed on rising violence against public service staff
Date: Wed 12 November 2008
Violent incidents against Scottish public service staff have risen again, underlining the need for further action. UNISON Scotland today released new figures showing a total of 32,263 violent incidents against public service workers, more than half of which were NHS employees. And these are only the formally recorded incidents.
UNISON’s extended annual Freedom of Information questionnaire is the most comprehensive survey of violence against public service workers in Scotland. Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said that this year’s results highlight the need for a renewed effort including awareness campaigns, action by employers and stronger legislation.
Dave said: “It is completely unacceptable that thousands of dedicated staff providing services on behalf of the community are being assaulted at work. All those affected deserve stronger legal protection and better protective measures."
Assaults against people working in local government have risen by nearly 3,000 in the last year, up to a total of 9,121. The health service has the largest number of assaults, although there was a fall from 18,860 in the previous year to 17,693.
Most assaults were on nurses and nursing assistants, particularly in primary care. For the first time, this year’s survey includes, as well as health boards and local authorities, public sector employers in police, universities, Non Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs), public utilities etc. Last year’s survey showed 25,517 violent incidents against health and local government staff. This went up to 26,814 this year, with the overall total being 32,263.
As in previous years, UNISON is concerned that too many employers are not properly recording violent incidents and therefore are not taking appropriate action. Health boards have improved reporting but local government is generally poor. A number of local authorities have now recognised this and work is underway to develop best practice guidelines.
Dave Watson said: "We also need stronger legislation including an extension of the Emergency Workers Act to cover all those at risk. Discussions are underway on this point with the Scottish Government and we are looking for legislative action next year."
Recorded incidents in the new sectors surveyed include a horrific attack on two Scottish Water workers attending an emergency call-out.
See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7350226.stm
* They were attacked with bricks by two youths, one carrying a machete. Several assaults were recorded on special constables, policy custody support officers, community wardens and traffic wardens. The survey was released at a UNISON conference on Health & Safety, with delegates urged to put pressure on employers to introduce preventive measures to reduce violence at work, with risk assessments routine and all assaults reported.
ENDS
Note to Editors:
The full report Violent Assaults on Public Service Staff in Scotland – Follow Up Survey 2008 is available at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/safety/index.html (as are the 2007 and 2006 reports).
For further information please contact:
Dave Watson, Scottish Organiser 07958 122 409 (m)
Diane Anderson, Information Development Officer 0141 342 2842
Violent incidents against Scottish public service staff have risen again, underlining the need for further action. UNISON Scotland today released new figures showing a total of 32,263 violent incidents against public service workers, more than half of which were NHS employees. And these are only the formally recorded incidents.
UNISON’s extended annual Freedom of Information questionnaire is the most comprehensive survey of violence against public service workers in Scotland. Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said that this year’s results highlight the need for a renewed effort including awareness campaigns, action by employers and stronger legislation.
Dave said: “It is completely unacceptable that thousands of dedicated staff providing services on behalf of the community are being assaulted at work. All those affected deserve stronger legal protection and better protective measures."
Assaults against people working in local government have risen by nearly 3,000 in the last year, up to a total of 9,121. The health service has the largest number of assaults, although there was a fall from 18,860 in the previous year to 17,693.
Most assaults were on nurses and nursing assistants, particularly in primary care. For the first time, this year’s survey includes, as well as health boards and local authorities, public sector employers in police, universities, Non Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs), public utilities etc. Last year’s survey showed 25,517 violent incidents against health and local government staff. This went up to 26,814 this year, with the overall total being 32,263.
As in previous years, UNISON is concerned that too many employers are not properly recording violent incidents and therefore are not taking appropriate action. Health boards have improved reporting but local government is generally poor. A number of local authorities have now recognised this and work is underway to develop best practice guidelines.
Dave Watson said: "We also need stronger legislation including an extension of the Emergency Workers Act to cover all those at risk. Discussions are underway on this point with the Scottish Government and we are looking for legislative action next year."
Recorded incidents in the new sectors surveyed include a horrific attack on two Scottish Water workers attending an emergency call-out.
See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7350226.stm
* They were attacked with bricks by two youths, one carrying a machete. Several assaults were recorded on special constables, policy custody support officers, community wardens and traffic wardens. The survey was released at a UNISON conference on Health & Safety, with delegates urged to put pressure on employers to introduce preventive measures to reduce violence at work, with risk assessments routine and all assaults reported.
ENDS
Note to Editors:
The full report Violent Assaults on Public Service Staff in Scotland – Follow Up Survey 2008 is available at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/safety/index.html (as are the 2007 and 2006 reports).
For further information please contact:
Dave Watson, Scottish Organiser 07958 122 409 (m)
Diane Anderson, Information Development Officer 0141 342 2842
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Home help takes equal pay lawyer to court
Embargo: For immediate Release
Date: Tues 11 November 2008
Home Help Jacqueline Quinn is taking equal pay lawyer Stefan Cross to court after he charged her £500 for taking her case to another lawyer.
And last night Jacqueline, who works for Edinburgh City Council: “I think his bill is out of order and I am determined not to pay.
“But goodness knows how many other Scots workers are in the same position."
Newcastle based Cross shot to prominence by persuading thousands of local authority workers up and down the country to let him pursue their equal pay claims, rather than rely on their trade unions.
Jacqueline, 51, of Hutchison Avenue, Edinburgh, said: “I thought Mr Cross would get me a quick settlement of my equal pay claim, but I didn’t realise there was a horrific penalty clause in the contract.
“The clause says that if I end the agreement or change lawyers before the case is settled I have to pay him £500 for every six months I was on his books…and if I go on to win the case I still have to pay him 100% of his costs on top of the £500.
“But that’s not all. If I accept an offer to settle the case, he still gets 10% of my compensation.”
Jacqueline who has worked for the council for 22 years added: “It’s absolutely outrageous and my new lawyers think it’s illegal.
“I went back to UNISON, my trade union, when I hadn’t heard a word from Mr Cross for three months.
“But then I started getting letters threatening to take me to an English County Court if I did not pay him. to recover his so-called debt, and I was terrified I would end up with a huge legal bill.
“Now UNISON has gone to court to stop him hassling me.”
UNISON’s Scottish Organiser Glyn Hawker said: “Stefan Cross portrays himself as the people’s champion but we’ve been warning our members for years that it will cost them if they instruct him.
“If he persuades a couple of thousand council workers to sign up with him, he only has to win one case, and the local authority will end up paying all the outstanding claims and he gets 10% of all their compensation.
“That’s a huge return.
“And it does not stop there, he can still charge our members £1,000 a year for the privilege of having signed up with him should they decide to take their case elsewhere.”
Syd Smith, Senior Partner with Thompsons Solicitors in Scotland who represent UNISON said:
“This case has huge implications for thousands of workers who may have signed up with Mr Cross and believe that they cannot go to another solicitor, no matter how dissatisfied they may be, for fear of crippling penalty charges.
“We believe Mr Cross is wrong on three points of law. Solicitors in Scotland cannot charge flat rate contingency fees. In other words, they cannot take a percentage cut from a persons money no matter what work was done. If we wanted to make a charge in these circumstances we would have to submit a detailed bill for all the work we had done.
“He cannot put penalties into these contracts.
“Mr Cross must also know perfectly well that he cannot go to an English County Court to try and enforce a contract he signed with a Scottish client in Scotland.
“That’s why we are seeking an interdict to stop his threats of action against Mrs Quinn."
Ends
For further information please contact:
Glyn Hawker, Scottish Organiser, UNISON 07876 441 237(m)
Syd Smith, Senior Partner, Thompsons 0131 225 4297
John Scott, John Scott Communications, for Thompsons 07917 729 201(m)
Fiona Montgomery, Information Development Officer, 0141 342 2852
Date: Tues 11 November 2008
Home Help Jacqueline Quinn is taking equal pay lawyer Stefan Cross to court after he charged her £500 for taking her case to another lawyer.
And last night Jacqueline, who works for Edinburgh City Council: “I think his bill is out of order and I am determined not to pay.
“But goodness knows how many other Scots workers are in the same position."
Newcastle based Cross shot to prominence by persuading thousands of local authority workers up and down the country to let him pursue their equal pay claims, rather than rely on their trade unions.
Jacqueline, 51, of Hutchison Avenue, Edinburgh, said: “I thought Mr Cross would get me a quick settlement of my equal pay claim, but I didn’t realise there was a horrific penalty clause in the contract.
“The clause says that if I end the agreement or change lawyers before the case is settled I have to pay him £500 for every six months I was on his books…and if I go on to win the case I still have to pay him 100% of his costs on top of the £500.
“But that’s not all. If I accept an offer to settle the case, he still gets 10% of my compensation.”
Jacqueline who has worked for the council for 22 years added: “It’s absolutely outrageous and my new lawyers think it’s illegal.
“I went back to UNISON, my trade union, when I hadn’t heard a word from Mr Cross for three months.
“But then I started getting letters threatening to take me to an English County Court if I did not pay him. to recover his so-called debt, and I was terrified I would end up with a huge legal bill.
“Now UNISON has gone to court to stop him hassling me.”
UNISON’s Scottish Organiser Glyn Hawker said: “Stefan Cross portrays himself as the people’s champion but we’ve been warning our members for years that it will cost them if they instruct him.
“If he persuades a couple of thousand council workers to sign up with him, he only has to win one case, and the local authority will end up paying all the outstanding claims and he gets 10% of all their compensation.
“That’s a huge return.
“And it does not stop there, he can still charge our members £1,000 a year for the privilege of having signed up with him should they decide to take their case elsewhere.”
Syd Smith, Senior Partner with Thompsons Solicitors in Scotland who represent UNISON said:
“This case has huge implications for thousands of workers who may have signed up with Mr Cross and believe that they cannot go to another solicitor, no matter how dissatisfied they may be, for fear of crippling penalty charges.
“We believe Mr Cross is wrong on three points of law. Solicitors in Scotland cannot charge flat rate contingency fees. In other words, they cannot take a percentage cut from a persons money no matter what work was done. If we wanted to make a charge in these circumstances we would have to submit a detailed bill for all the work we had done.
“He cannot put penalties into these contracts.
“Mr Cross must also know perfectly well that he cannot go to an English County Court to try and enforce a contract he signed with a Scottish client in Scotland.
“That’s why we are seeking an interdict to stop his threats of action against Mrs Quinn."
Ends
For further information please contact:
Glyn Hawker, Scottish Organiser, UNISON 07876 441 237(m)
Syd Smith, Senior Partner, Thompsons 0131 225 4297
John Scott, John Scott Communications, for Thompsons 07917 729 201(m)
Fiona Montgomery, Information Development Officer, 0141 342 2852
Thursday, November 6, 2008
UNISON Scotland response to John Swinney's statement on improving scrutiny of public services
Embargo: For immediate release
Date: 6 November 2008
Improving Scrutiny
UNISON Scotland today responded to the statement by Cabinet Secretary John Swinney on improving scrutiny of Scotland’s public services.
Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said:
“UNISON Scotland supports the Scottish Government’s aim of improving scrutiny by reducing duplication and unnecessary burdens on front line services. However, merging bodies to meet government targets is on its own largely cosmetic and could simply lead to slower decision making in larger multi disciplinary organisations. Scrutiny improvement requires new ways of working and this statement is short on detail.”
UNISON supports the government in
“UNISON in particular welcomes moves towards scrutiny bodies working more closely together with local government. Focusing on robust self-assessment in conjunction with proportionate and intelligence led approach to inspections based of risk assessment will be key to making improvements. However, more detail is needed on where responsibilities lie. In particular over early year’s provision. We should also be wary in the commercial environment of drifting into light touch regulation. Recent experiences in the banking sector has brought this message home to us all."
ends
For further information contact:
Dave Watson, Regional Manager
Mob 07958 122409
Date: 6 November 2008
Improving Scrutiny
UNISON Scotland today responded to the statement by Cabinet Secretary John Swinney on improving scrutiny of Scotland’s public services.
Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said:
“UNISON Scotland supports the Scottish Government’s aim of improving scrutiny by reducing duplication and unnecessary burdens on front line services. However, merging bodies to meet government targets is on its own largely cosmetic and could simply lead to slower decision making in larger multi disciplinary organisations. Scrutiny improvement requires new ways of working and this statement is short on detail.”
UNISON supports the government in
- streamlining decision making and increasing transparency;
- stopping activity that no longer contributes to the public purpose; and
- applying much tougher tests to the creation of new bodies
“UNISON in particular welcomes moves towards scrutiny bodies working more closely together with local government. Focusing on robust self-assessment in conjunction with proportionate and intelligence led approach to inspections based of risk assessment will be key to making improvements. However, more detail is needed on where responsibilities lie. In particular over early year’s provision. We should also be wary in the commercial environment of drifting into light touch regulation. Recent experiences in the banking sector has brought this message home to us all."
ends
For further information contact:
Dave Watson, Regional Manager
Mob 07958 122409
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
New UNISON Scotland equal pay contact point
UNISON Scotland equal pay contact point – equalpayscotland@unison.co.uk
Use this email address if:
Use this email address if:
- you think you may have an equal pay claim
- you would like more information on equal pay
- UNISON has lodged an equal pay claim on your behalf and you would like an update on your claim
- UNISON has lodged an equal pay claim on your behalf and you want to let us know you have changed your name/address/employment
- you would like to become more involved in the UNISON campaign for fair and equal pay
Monday, November 3, 2008
Vote Now! Local Government Pay Campaign 2008
HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE NEW PAY OFFERAfter two days of successful action (in August and September) the employers have NOW offered 3% across the board this year (backdated to April) and 2.5% next year. They say it is their final offer.
It's not a good offer - UNISON wants you to reject it.
But we know that to get more will need much more strike action.
It’s YOUR decision - so make sure YOU vote.
The ballot opens on 22 October and closes 12 November
YOU took the action that delivered this offer - VOTE on future action
If you have not received your ballot paper by 29 October, please call 0845 355 0845.
Please note requests for ballot papers must be received by noon on 7 November.
Lines open from 6am to midnight, Monday – Friday and 9am to 4pm Saturday.
Duplicate ballot papers can also be requested online at www.unison.org.uk/scotland/preballot2008.asp
VOTE NOW - LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK
For more information on the pay claim and a downloadable PDF of this poster, go to http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/localgovt/pay2008/index.html
To join UNISON call 0845 355 0845 (voice) 0800 0 967 968 9 (textphone) or visit http://www.unison.org.uk/
Strike threat to meat inspections warns UNISON
Date: 03 November 2008
Meat inspections across Scotland, England, and Wales could be hit by a 72 hour strike in the run up to Christmas, UNISON, the UK's largest public service union, warned today (3 Nov).
1,000 meat inspectors (160 in Scotland) will ballot for strike action after their employers - the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) - refused to pay an agreed rise unless they accepted sweeping cuts to overtime payments and changed to a "work anytime" system. Strike action would severely disrupt meat production, including deliveries of meat to supermarkets.
The union is also urging the MHS to tackle the culture of bullying and harassment in abattoirs. A UNISON survey revealed 77% of staff had witnessed bullying or harassment, with 59% personally experiencing it whilst at work.
Simon Watson, UNISON National Officer for Meat Inspectors, said: "Meat inspectors work hard to make sure the meat on our plates is safe to eat, but they are being pushed to the limit by excessive workloads, staff shortages and totally unacceptable levels of bullying and harassment. On top of all this, staff are now being denied an agreed pay rise unless they accept sweeping cuts to overtime payments and change to a work anytime system.
"The changes will have a devastating effect on meat inspectors and their families. Some of our members tell us they will be £100 a week worse off. Others say they will find family life next to impossible. This is a disgusting way to treat staff who have not had a pay rise since August 2006.
"The employers must give staff the agreed pay rise with no strings attached. If strike action goes ahead, the major meat companies and supermarkets face the loss of millions of pounds in meat production, and a shortage of the traditional Sunday roast."
Joe Lynch, the lead officer for Meat Inspection in Scotland said "Not only will the changes increase pressure, stress and cut staff take home pay, they threaten the health and safety of us all. Public hygiene and food safety are a crucial protective service, to disrupt inspectors lives by last minute shift change, and tie them to their phones 24/7 - especially in an atmosphere of bullying and humiliation - means and increased risk of worse food safety."
A meat inspector from the North of England (who wishes to remain anonymous)* said: "My home life will be shattered if I have to work any time between midnight on Monday to midnight on Friday, often at short notice. I have a young family, and my wife and I need a routine to keep the house running. The cost of everything is going up, but my wages are set to take a massive cut. I stand to lose £100 a week if the meat hygiene service get these changes through, but will be working far more unsocial hours."
A consultative ballot of UNISON Meat Hygiene Inspectors last month showed that 83% were in favour of strike action.
END
Note to Editors:
*Meat Inspectors work in a highly pressurised environment where they are easily identifiable. They will not be able to give attributable public statements. Contact Chris Bartter or Joe Lynch if you wish to get anonymised comments from Meat Inspectors.
The UNISON bullying survey results also include: 18% of staff reported that bullying happened daily, and a further 23% said that bullying took place weekly. 39% of meat hygiene inspectors said that bullying took the form of shouting, 35% said bullying included humiliation and a further 28% said it happened through victimisation.
The main causes of bullying were stressed managers (27%), stressed colleagues (30%), staff shortages (33%) and excessive workloads (22%). 56% of staff said they put bullying down to poor management, and 40% of workers said they were too scared to report bullying when it did happen.
Two of the main changes to terms and condition proposed are: Meat Inspectors will have to work a 37 hour week at any time between 0:01hrs Monday to 24:00hrs Friday, with shifts or place of work subject to change at short notice. Contractual overtime will be abolished, unsocial hours payments and mileage allowances will be cut.
The MHS is a UK agency, and around 160 UNISON members are meat inspectors working for the MHS in Scotland. They are based across the country in 26 major abbatoirs from Carlisle to Orkney. They inspect and certify meat as fit for human consumption after it has been slaughtered.
For Further Information Please Contact: Joe Lynch (Regional Organiser - Scottish Meat Inspectors) 07958 121 063(m) Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 0771 558 3729(m)
Meat inspections across Scotland, England, and Wales could be hit by a 72 hour strike in the run up to Christmas, UNISON, the UK's largest public service union, warned today (3 Nov).
1,000 meat inspectors (160 in Scotland) will ballot for strike action after their employers - the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) - refused to pay an agreed rise unless they accepted sweeping cuts to overtime payments and changed to a "work anytime" system. Strike action would severely disrupt meat production, including deliveries of meat to supermarkets.
The union is also urging the MHS to tackle the culture of bullying and harassment in abattoirs. A UNISON survey revealed 77% of staff had witnessed bullying or harassment, with 59% personally experiencing it whilst at work.
Simon Watson, UNISON National Officer for Meat Inspectors, said: "Meat inspectors work hard to make sure the meat on our plates is safe to eat, but they are being pushed to the limit by excessive workloads, staff shortages and totally unacceptable levels of bullying and harassment. On top of all this, staff are now being denied an agreed pay rise unless they accept sweeping cuts to overtime payments and change to a work anytime system.
"The changes will have a devastating effect on meat inspectors and their families. Some of our members tell us they will be £100 a week worse off. Others say they will find family life next to impossible. This is a disgusting way to treat staff who have not had a pay rise since August 2006.
"The employers must give staff the agreed pay rise with no strings attached. If strike action goes ahead, the major meat companies and supermarkets face the loss of millions of pounds in meat production, and a shortage of the traditional Sunday roast."
Joe Lynch, the lead officer for Meat Inspection in Scotland said "Not only will the changes increase pressure, stress and cut staff take home pay, they threaten the health and safety of us all. Public hygiene and food safety are a crucial protective service, to disrupt inspectors lives by last minute shift change, and tie them to their phones 24/7 - especially in an atmosphere of bullying and humiliation - means and increased risk of worse food safety."
A meat inspector from the North of England (who wishes to remain anonymous)* said: "My home life will be shattered if I have to work any time between midnight on Monday to midnight on Friday, often at short notice. I have a young family, and my wife and I need a routine to keep the house running. The cost of everything is going up, but my wages are set to take a massive cut. I stand to lose £100 a week if the meat hygiene service get these changes through, but will be working far more unsocial hours."
A consultative ballot of UNISON Meat Hygiene Inspectors last month showed that 83% were in favour of strike action.
END
Note to Editors:
*Meat Inspectors work in a highly pressurised environment where they are easily identifiable. They will not be able to give attributable public statements. Contact Chris Bartter or Joe Lynch if you wish to get anonymised comments from Meat Inspectors.
The UNISON bullying survey results also include: 18% of staff reported that bullying happened daily, and a further 23% said that bullying took place weekly. 39% of meat hygiene inspectors said that bullying took the form of shouting, 35% said bullying included humiliation and a further 28% said it happened through victimisation.
The main causes of bullying were stressed managers (27%), stressed colleagues (30%), staff shortages (33%) and excessive workloads (22%). 56% of staff said they put bullying down to poor management, and 40% of workers said they were too scared to report bullying when it did happen.
Two of the main changes to terms and condition proposed are: Meat Inspectors will have to work a 37 hour week at any time between 0:01hrs Monday to 24:00hrs Friday, with shifts or place of work subject to change at short notice. Contractual overtime will be abolished, unsocial hours payments and mileage allowances will be cut.
The MHS is a UK agency, and around 160 UNISON members are meat inspectors working for the MHS in Scotland. They are based across the country in 26 major abbatoirs from Carlisle to Orkney. They inspect and certify meat as fit for human consumption after it has been slaughtered.
For Further Information Please Contact: Joe Lynch (Regional Organiser - Scottish Meat Inspectors) 07958 121 063(m) Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 0771 558 3729(m)
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