UNISON has hit back against Tory MSP Margaret Mitchell attack on trade union facility time and says it amounts to nothing more than mischief making.
Trade union facility time is common practice in both the private and public sector, endorsed by law and statutory guidance and widely accepted by employers as a sensible way of facilitating engagement with workplace representatives.
John Mooney, Branch Secretary of UNISON in North Lanarkshire, said:
“Margaret’s attack on trade union reps is nothing more than mischief making. Union reps are, in fact, a massive boost to our workplaces. We all know the value of trade union facility time; study after study has confirmed that trade union representatives save councils money through their everyday work around sickness absence, suspensions, training, reductions in tribunal claims and costly legal action. This adds up to a massive saving for the taxpayer.
“Given the huge scale of cuts hitting the public sector, the role of workplace reps in our public services is more important than ever before. Attacking union reps – who already give countless hours of extra work outside of their facility time – doesn’t make any sense and would only cost the taxpayer more money in the long run.”