On Thursday 3rd October, Dundee City UNISON formally told Dundee City Council that it was not agreeing to their change to the employer’s hybrid working policy and that it should be considered in dispute over those changes.
Management have been driving ahead with forcing employees back into offices for at least 2 days a week.
They have failed to reassure us that they will make reasonable attempts to be flexible with members’ individual concerns or preferences.
It is clear to us that significant numbers of members have no desire for or will be caused significant problems by the drive to force them back into the office.
We have been unconvinced by management arguments for why they think this is needed. We feel the provisions contained in the original policy, identifying where attendance at the office would be required were more that sufficient.
We have stressed the morale is already low due to understaffing and stress due to excessive work demands.
We advise our members not to refuse, at the moment, an instruction to come in to work, as this may be used to take disciplinary action against them.
Instead, we suggest that members make clear their concerns and the problems this will cause, both in terms of their work life balance and their performance at work and state that they are attending the office under protest.
It should be noted the Civil Servants in PCS are currently moving towards national industrial action over similar moves by their employers. We will be watching the development of that closely.
The text of the statement sent to Dundee City Council can be read here.