TRADES UNIONS = POWER TO THE PEOPLE

My Internet access is now back up and running, after being down for almost a week, hence the lack of posts on the blogosphere.

It had been my intention for a while to comment on the recent dispute concerning Social Care Workers in Glasgow, but as the situation was changing and developing, I felt I should hold off. The Dispute ended on Friday, after a packed lunchtime meeting, after accepting an increased offer from the Council.

It is unusual for a group of workers to strike indefinitely these days, and the spirit and solidarity showed by the workers was inspirational.

The dispute of course, surrounds the ongoing saga of Single Status and Equal Pay. Whilst Glasgow City Council are not blameless, and have approached the issue in a cack handed manner, the real blame must lie with the previous Executive who ensured that Local Government was the only part of the Public Sector not to receive additional funding.

As reported previously the previous Executive handed back £1.5 BILLION back to the Westminster Government. The cost to fully fund Single Status across Scotland's 32 Councils is estimated at £500 million.

This Scottish Government needs to give Scotland's Councils the finances to address this legal headache.

Elsewhere of course, the NUJ have been successful in bringing The Herald Group back round the negotiating table, as have the CWU with the Post Office.

These events show that Trade Unions are needed more now than ever, to highlight bad employment practice anywhere, regardless of which part of the economy.