Stirling Council is claiming to be the first local authority in Scotland to reach a local agreement with unions over single status. The council plans to implement the deal on 1 April, after reaching an agreement with local trade union branches. Under the agreement, the standard working week for all staff will be 36 hours. There will also be additional opportunities for flexible working, and more environmentally-friendly travel arrangements. ‘I am pleased the management team and the trade unions have reached an agreement which both sides can be satisfied with,' said executive member for corporate, resources and the economy, Cllr Colin O'Brien. ‘We are the first council in Scotland to reach a local agreement, and this has been achieved through mature negotiations and being realistic.' The deal is subject to a vote by union members, but a spokesman for Unison Scotland said the local branch had not signed the deal and was still waiting for more information about the council's proposals. The spokesman also said no equality impact assessment had been carried out.
