Colleagues
SNP councillors have released the below today.
John Mooney
SNP GROUP STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO RECENT NLC STATEMENT ON EQUAL PAY “PROGRESS”.
PRESS STATEMENT FROM NORTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL SNP GROUP.
30TH November, 2014.
CONTACT:
SNP Group Leader,Councillor David Stocks,07939280048
SNP Group Press Officer and depute group Leader,Councillor Tom Johnston 01236 738986 07939280053 01236 613035
SNP SLAM COUNCIL EQUAL PAY SPIN
Councillor David Stocks,Leader of the 25-strong SNP opposition Group on North Lanarkshire Council,has hit out at the Council’s latest statement on the equal pay situation.
Councillor Stocks’ intervention comes as Unison members plan mass lobbies of councillors’ surgeries this coming week.
Said Councillor Stocks: “The aim of the controlling Labour Group is to pass the buck and blame officials. In fact,the Labour group has allowed this ten-year-old process to drift on and on. They’ve shown a real lack of political will.
“The SNP Group Meeting on Monday was outraged at the latest Council public relations claim that “regular updates are brought before members for their consideration”. Councillors have not been kept informed. There are no regular updates. The process is driven by a small officer-councillor working group,with the councillors on it forbidden to discuss any developments with their fellow councillors. Even on the few occasions when committee approval is required,reports are curtly handed out at meetings and swept up by watching officials,immediately after a very brief consideration. There’s no time for any reflection or proper discussion on equal pay by the Party Groups.”
SNP Group Deputy Leader,Councillor Tom Johnston,led an SNP walk-out protest over the lack of real consultation at a committee last June. Councillor Johnston said: “The Council are in a panic. The SNP walk-out last June and the active Trade Union campaigns are forcing statements.
“It’s over ten years since assessments recommending equal pay were first carried out.
The Council admitted that parts of job evaluations had been incorrectly applied in three job categories. Many who have waited years are amongst the lowest-paid staff in the Council.
“Six months on from the blazing row on 6th June,we’re still waiting for real results. Labour-run North Lanarkshire is trailing behind other Scottish councils in implementing equal pay on the 21st century.”
END OF PRESS STATEMENT.