Staff with Invergordon-based Albyn Housing ready to strike as survey reveals 'serious dissatisfaction' on pay offer and working from home deal
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STAFF at a housing association responsible for over 1000 properties in Ross-shire are ready to take strike action warning of "serious dissatisfaction" on a pay offer and compensation for working from home.
Invergordon-based Albyn Housing Society runs more than 3300 social homes across the Highlands meaning any strike action could seriously impact residents.
Workers' union GMB's warning is prompted by staff incensed over a one per cent pay increase offer.
And many more are angry there's no recognition of the extra costs of working from home.
Some 89 per cent felt say the pay offer is not enough and a staggering 100 per cent believe they should be offered compensation for working from home.
Eight in 10 “are now prepared to take industrial action because of the serious dissatisfaction they feel” according to GMB Scotland organiser John McCartney. He said: "As can be seen from the staff survey, the one per cent pay rise is not acceptable, the numbers speak for themselves – 89 per cent feel that that is not enough.
"An even greater area of sensitivity is the lack of recognition for the increased costs of working from home.
"Staff were unanimous in saying there should be some compensation for heating their homes, using electricity and the rest – all of which have become a burden for householders who work for Albyn."
Taken together, that added up to the 79 per cent now prepared to take industrial action, he said.
He said: "The GMB is always glad to get back round the negotiating table to get this sorted but if Albyn are unwilling to negotiate seriously and in good faith to find a solution then industrial action is a very real option.
"This is a resolvable situation and that is what we hope can be done but first Albyn needs to take this seriously."
The call comes at a challenging time for the body as earlier this month both the chief executive Lisa Buchanan and the board chairwoman Maxine Smith resigned.
Kirsty Morrison, the current director of customer services, has been appointed interim chief executive.
Mr McCartney said said the union was concerned that the CEO and chair had resigned from their positions.
He said: “This is yet another disruption to the daily working objectives of staff and adds to the high turnover of staff in the past 18 months. This high turnover is alarming for such a reputable organisation and will no doubt worry GMB members.
Former chairwoman Maxine Smith, a local councillor and businesswoman, said: “I’ve been happy to serve on the Albyn board for 17 years. I stepped up to take the chair two years ago but it takes up a huge amount of time being chairman. I’m trying to free up time to develop my own businesses so I took the decision that I’d given more than enough of my time to the social housing sector."
A spokesperson for Albyn Housing Society said: “While we don’t comment on individual resignations, I would like to highlight that Kirsty Morrison has been appointed as interim chief executive. Recruitment for both the chief executive and chair roles is already under way. I’m afraid we don’t provide media comment on any negotiations. We communicate on such matters with employees and with the trade union as some employees are members.”
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