Sodexo staff strike over on-going pay dispute

Sodexo catering staff have again picketed Scotland's police headquarters in Fife in a dispute over pay.

The 20 Sodexo employees, who work at Tulliallan Police College, launched an overtime ban last month over a pay rise offer of 1%.

But this week they walked out on a 24 hour strike, as the dispute over catering workers' pay and conditions remains unresolved.

Trade union GMB said that the majority of staff are paid an average hourly rate of £6.37 an hour but believes that they should be paid the Scottish Living Wage of £7.20 an hour.

Commenting on the day of the strike (18 March), GMB organiser Richard Leonard said: "Today's action so far has been a success.

"We have 100 per cent of the workforce out on strike. Sodexo has bussed in a few managers and brought two people in by taxi all the way from South Lanarkshire, which begs the question "who is footing the bill?"

The Scottish Government announced last November that the Scottish Living Wage will rise in April to £7.45 an hour, representing an increase of 3.5%.

Following talks held last week, GMB representatives said that a 1% pay rise from 1st April 2013 will further widen the gap between the majority of the Tulliallan workers' pay and the Scottish Living Wage.

A spokesperson for Sodexo said: "Negotiations are on-going with the GMB and we cannot provide any further comment."