03/29/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

Union claims ‘bad publicity’ led council to change track on payment

THE Branch Secretary of Carmarthen County Unison is claiming that ‘bad publicity’ forced  Carmarthenshire County Council to change direction on its payment of council staff for winter gritting on roads across the county.

Mark Evans of Unison said: “Joint action by GMB, Unison and supported by Unite wins significant victory.”

Wales News Online carried the story having been at the picket lines in Carmarthenshire. Less than 24 hours later the council published a press release stating that negotiations had taken place, which led to suspension of industrial action.

A series of articles in which the council were described as ‘scrooges’ and exhibiting ‘disgraceful behaviour’ by the unions appeared on our news site.

In a statement issued today, Friday (Dec 20) Mark Evans of Unison said: “On behalf of our winter gritting members we would like to thank other branch members and other branches for your support and messages of solidarity. There is no doubt that the industrial action taken by Unison and GMB members and the well -attended pickets lines including Unite members that resulted in a new and improved offer from the employer.

“That and the bad publicity this Plaid Led  Carmarthenshire County Council were receiving as a result of the action and the cost of using contractors. We can’t give you the details of the employers offer as our members have not been informed of the details yet. But suffice to say that we got most of what we were asking for. Our members will decide whether they accept the council’s offer in a ballot. All three unions involved consider it to be a good settlement and a victory for our members and the action they have taken. It was the working together of Unison, GMB and Unite that was also a major contributing factor to the success of the action.

“We have agreed that there will be no further action until meetings have been held with members and they have been balloted about whether they accept the offer.”

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