THIS week’s look into the Greenock Telegraph archives takes us back 15 years – when Inverclyde Council workers were set to strike over a pay dispute which could hit key frontline services.
Vital staff such as refuse collectors, community wardens, social workers and home helps were all to be involved in the mass walkout after Unison, Unite and the GMB members threw out a wage increase offer.
They snubbed a pay increase of two and a half per cent every year for the next three years, paving the way for chaos unless a compromise deal could be settled at the last minute.
LAST WEEK'S FLASHBACK: Staff were left stunned after sudden closure of local nursery
Robin Taggart, a senior Unison official in Inverclyde, said at the time: “I don’t think the result of the national ballot comes as a surprise.
“An offer of two and a half per cent is unacceptable in the economic climate.”
Meanwhile a football-daft steel worker had stopped off at Cappielow on his tour of every ground in Scotland.
David Haden, from Sheffield, was braving the Scottish summer to visit all 42 clubs on his sporty cycling trip.
The pedaller arrived at the home of Morton on the Inverclyde leg of his tour — and popped in to take a look round the ground.
He told the Tele at the time: “I’m a big football fan and I’ve watched games at most of the English grounds.
“I just thought it would be a great idea to explore Scotland.”
Elsewhere, Inverclyde Council was providing support to community groups, scouts, guides or any other bodies that wished to organise a general clean-up or tackle a particular eyesore.
Free of charge, the authority was offering to provide litterpickers, gloves, bags and high-visibility vests.
Council teams could also collect and dispose of the waste picked up at community clean-ups.
In other news, summer fun was had by all at the Larkfield View Family Centre’s summer fete.
Staff, visitors and residents enjoyed the stalls and activities and helped raise funds for the centre.
A great selection of stalls including bric-a-brac, home baking, raffles and bottles, were on offer and lots of fun-packed activities were on the go.
Talented youngsters from the May Hughes School of Dance also entertained the crowds with a cheerleading routine.
In sport, the bookies were predicting a tough season for Morton ahead of their opener against Clyde, who had scraped through a relegation play-off the season before.
The Ton meanwhile had dodged participating in the previous season’s relegation scrap by a margin of one goal.
Only the Bully Wee and newly promoted Airdrie commanded higher quotes than Morton, giving them long odds for a title challenge.
But despite expectations, Davie Irons’ men would go on to record a sixth place finish that season, surpassing the expectations of many pundits and bookmakers.
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