Green move to ban fire and rehire blocked
Green councillors have called on SNP leader Ricky Bell to personally rule out firing and rehiring Glasgow City Council workers after a move by the Greens to ban the practice was blocked.
Greens had tabled an emergency motion to today’s City Administration Committee (CAC) meeting warning that the Council risks “one of the largest fire and rehire schemes in the UK” if it is not removed.
It comes after Councillors were informed by officers that there is and has never been a legal or democratic method for Councillors to remove fire and rehire from plans for the new Pay and Grading scheme, due to officers warning that there would be no alternative way to deliver equal pay to fall back on if discussions did not reach an agreement, short of special measures.
This was why Labour’s amendment was not blocked on the same grounds on August 20th, as it kept fire and rehire on the table after all discussions were exhausted. The motion this morning was therefore not accepted by the Chair of CAC, Cllr Ricky Bell.
Speaking on the block, Greens Co-leader Anthony Carroll said:
“We are facing a genuine cliff-edge of one of the largest fire and rehire schemes in the UK being implemented.
"Greens had pushed for banning the practice through a motion this morning, however late last night we were informed that officers and the SNP believed there is no way to implement the pay and grading scheme without it on the table still, leaving no legal or democratic route to ban fire and rehire.
"Labour’s amendment last month did not say to ban fire and rehire, instead just delay it. That is why their amendment was not blocked, like our motion was this morning.
"We are angry and shocked that the SNP administration moved to fire and rehire all 23,000 staff last week despite its own Government’s position.
"We regret we couldn’t all see an end to the threat of fire and rehire last month or this morning, however we want to work with all parties to see it taken permanently off the table.
“Ultimately, the Leader of the Council can and should rule this out.”
Co-leader Lana Reid-McConnell added:
“It is about time the Scottish Government accepted some responsibility following many years of underfunding Glasgow City Council however their offer of 1 year additional pay protection does not go far enough.
"The Depute First Minister needs to put more money on the table now or the SNP administration will move to fire and rehire Council staff, undermining her own party’s position.”
Text of motion
Committee notes the severe distress caused to workers by the planned issuing of 3 month 'fire and rehire' notices associated with the implementation of the Council's pay and grading scheme. This included secondary and unique jobs whose workers will have had the added distress of being ‘fired’ without knowledge of their potential new terms.
Committee regrets this course of action and agrees that this is not an acceptable way to implement the Council’s new pay and grading scheme.
Committee resolves that the Council will not use 'fire and rehire' henceforth, irrespective of when the new legal provisions in the Employment Rights Act come into effect.
Committee reiterates the absolute and urgent imperative of replacing the Council's unlawful existing pay and grading scheme and calls on all parties, now also including the Scottish Government, to redouble efforts for reaching an improved offer that can be put to workers, so they may vote on it without undue delay. Committee also requests that all efforts are made to minimise potential detriment, including finalising the appeals process for the initial job evaluation, in partnership with trade unions as soon as possible.