STRONG WOMEN WIN (AGAIN)
STRIKE SUSPENDED -VICTORY MUCH CLOSER
As you will have gathered the strike for next week is off.
The reason is that in the lead up to the strike the council fundamentally changed their position. Not only have they accepted publicly that you’ve been discriminated against (not just the scheme needed to be changed) but they have made substantial commitments to make payments that they had not made before.
I NEED TO STRESS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAS YET BEEN AGREED.
We have promises and assurances but nothing finalised. The unions want this wrapped up before the next strike days are cancelled which is perfectly reasonable.
However, the outline is TWO PHASES OF SETTLEMENTS. BOTH PHASES WILL BE ON THE BASIS OF THE 2019 DEAL.
PHASE 1 – new claimants with no previous settlements. At the minute we still have disputes over who is included. There are disputes about grade 6’s and all the ALEOS. The council either wants to exclude them altogether or treat them differently.
PHASE 2 – THE INTERIM PAYMENT. For the first time the council has committed to full payment on the 2019 scheme up to at least March 22. They are working on a new funding plan. They want to get this done by the end of the year.
There are the same disputes over ALEO’s etc for phase 2. We continue to demand that these groups are included.
Phase 1 has to be completed before phase 2 can commence so getting this done quickly is essential.
It is certain that debts owed to the council will be deducted.
WARNING – The payments will be much lower than last time because it will cover a much shorter period. Simple maths. Don’t try and guess how much. PLEASE.
DO NOT SPEND OR BORROW MONEY UNTIL YOU HAVE AN OFFER.
THERE WILL BE CUT OFF DATES. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A CLAIM IN REPRESENTED BY A4ES or GMB or UNISON or UNITE – YOU WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THESE PHASES OF SETTLEMENT.
If you have moved, changed jobs or left you need to let us know. If anyone has sadly passed away, they will need to have nominated personal representatives.
None of this would have been possible without your strength in standing together with those strike ballot results.
I hope the council will now turn those promises into reality and the next strike days can be avoided too. That will require them to stop trying to exclude people and agreeing to a real implementation plan.
CONGRATULATIONS- GLASGOW WOMEN STAND TALL AGAIN.
PS LUCY BROMLEY has started new treatments which will last for the next 6 weeks. I hope it all goes well.