On the 11^th May, two months after the “Models of Work” proposal came into effect  the Branch received a letter from Hugh Walker, Director of Finance and Corporate Services, indicating that Quarriers would like to put a proposal to us which again in their own words would “enable us to submit competitive tenders, retain services and hold on to jobs”.

This is a proposal to CUT our Terms and Conditions in a draconian way.

The proposals are available here:

quarriers_proposal_to_cut_terms_and_conditions.pdf  

Overall these CUTS are detrimental to our income. Over the last four years we have seen attack after attack on our Terms and Conditions and we feel that this is a step too far.

Yes we can agree that these are hard times for employers in the Voluntary Sector and UNISON Quarriers Branch have been at the forefront of campaigning for proper funding for the Voluntary Sector. On the 17^th March Simon Macfarlane our Regional Organiser presented a petition to the Scottish Parliament calling on the Government to fund the Voluntary Sector with the full cost of providing the services and also to get terms and conditions at the same level as those in the Local Authorities. This is no pipe dream. The Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations, the Scottish Trade Union Congress and other Trade Unions are all part of this process and the Parliament Committee has backed us so far.