Published: Wednesday, 4th June, 2008 11:00
Council say builders' strike 'unreasonable'
By John-Martin Fulton
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COUNCIL builders downed their tools in a 24-hour strike over hours and pay - while the local authority beckoned them back to the talking table.
On Monday North Ayrshire Council construction workers responsible for emergency repairs and maintenance took union-backed industrial action in a bid to have their working week cut to 37 hours, in line with other local authority tradesmen in the UK.
But the council has slammed the strikes as “unnecessary and avoidable” - and say they are already prepared to meet the key points of their demands.
However, the mass action is set to be repeated every two weeks until mid-August after it was voted through at a national level by three major unions.
National officer for Unite John Allott said: “These skilled workers are not asking for anything other than equal treatment with their colleagues in Scotland and the rest of the UK.
“Our members have had enough and have been left with no choice than to take strike action.”
Meanwhile, the council has blasted the unions for refusing to allow talks at a local level and says they are prepared to lower builders’ working hours to 37.
Assistant chief executive of personnel Murray Macfarlane said: “This is totally unreasonable.
“We agreed to the strikers’ key demand and are certain an amicable and rapid end to this dispute can be reached if we can only get round a table.”
Another council spokesman said that only around 100 of the 250 council craftsmen involved actually took part.
He said: “The percentage of union members who took part was quite low.
“We are calling on organisers to suspend action and enter into talks with us.”
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