| Ronnie Costello, Fire Brigades Union secretary for the region, said the union would now be seeking clarification from the local authority employers, represented north of the border by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, (Cosla) over why, months after negotiations produced an agreement expected to be effectively finalised today, the situation seems to have changed.
“The membership is certainly not happy about what has happened,” he told the Evening Telegraph.
“Although we knew there were still issues that would require further negotiations, the union was prepared to accept the deal.
“It is difficult to understand why management now appear to want to change things, unless they just don’t want the deal to go ahead.”
A year after the FBU first began stoppages in a dispute over pay and conditions, the union had been expecting a 7% pay increase to be paid to firefighters this month.
However, at the end of last week the employers said the increase is now to be paid in two stages, half on Friday of this week and the rest in the New Year.
The employers say it was always known the deal had to be ratified by the Audit Commission before it could be paid in full and this could not happen until New Year.
The row has raised the spectre of possible further industrial action by firefighters unless the matter can be resolved.
Mr Costello said today it was too early to say just what the FBU’s reaction might be, as the new turn of events would have to be discussed with the employers to clarify what was the problem.
The FBU executive council was due to meet in London today.
The meeting was originally convened to discuss the reaction of the different FBU regions to a joint secretaries’ position paper over the agreement with the employers.
The Scottish region of the union agreed just last Friday to accept the document.
“There was some concern over some aspects of the document,” said Mr Costello today. “However, people were willing to accept it knowing there would have to be further discussions with the employers over a number of issues, including integrated risk management, personal development and the future rank and role structure of the brigade.”
“Now the employers appear to be saying not enough has been agreed yet and that the Audit Commission and Audit Scotland have not yet had enough opportunity for their investigations.
“It is very frustrating. The union will now be trying to find out why they have come out with this new position.” |
