I, TOO, would question the stance of Unison as regards the protracted dispute affecting Glasgow's libraries. Unlike Mr Gerry Gill (February 4), however, I ask a much more basic question. What is the reason for this continued action at all?
As Convener of the Arts and Culture Committee of Glasgow City Council, I shall shortly be bringing to my committee, to the Labour Administration, and to the full council, a review of the library service - a strategy for Glasgow's libraries. This wide-ranging review, pledged to both Unison and GMB in March last year, addresses all the issues of grading, shifts, and opening hours which Unison claim inform their dispute.
Moreover, and much more important, it seeks to improve the library service beyond measure, dealing with issues such as the provision of ICT, the improvement of library core services, libraries as community facilities, and the place of the Mitchell Library as a national reference library.
Included in the core working group of the review were officers and members of council representatives of the librarians' professional organisations and of the Scottish Arts Council, the Principal of John Wheatley College, writers and staff from the libraries, including both the GMB and Unison.
It would seem, however, that Unison has ignored much of the valuable work that was done. The first report of the review core group will go out to public consultation as soon as it is considered by the full council. It will be an inclusive consultation process and one which we hope will involve as many members of the public as possible. GMB has accepted the recommendations of the review. Unison, however, has decided to continue striking.
The review offers a new strategy for Glasgow's libraries. Contrary to Unison's misinformation to the public, it advocates not closures but new libraries in those areas which do not have a service, along with a refurbishment programme of several existing libraries.
The review stresses the need for investment in ICT, training and development of staff and the formation of a strategy to bid for the very large amount of funding available from the Government in projects such as the People's Network, University of Industry, and Life Long Learning.
It also addresses all the issues that Unison have raised. It will recommend consolidation of shift allowances, reduction of evening working from three to two evenings per week interimly, regrading to benefit most staff, and an extension of opening hours. No libraries are to close; no workers are subject to compulsory redundancies.
So - why the protracted action by Unison, apart from the fact that the union is paying those on strike their full salary and has continued to do so for 15 weeks?
This is a political strike, fomented by a small group of workers, so inimical to this council and the Labour administration that they seek to prevent the implementation of a review which will deliver a library service fitted to the needs of all Glaswegians well into the next century.
If the people of this city are indeed ''long-suffering'', they suffer at the hands of those who continue to make futile political gestures instead of working together to give a service geared to the users rather than just the providers.
Councillor Elizabeth Cameron,
Glasgow City Council,
George Square, Glasgow.
February 4.
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