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Motion · S6M-13061 · 30 Apr 2024

Glasgow Telephone Engineer Retires after 50 Years’ Service

Lodged by Annie Wells Standard Motion 31 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament congratulates Alison Houston for her 50 years of service as a telephone operator, turned engineer, in Glasgow; understands that Alison is “hanging up” after 50 years’ with the GPO, BT and, latterly, Openreach; understands that she began her career in 1974, following her night-operator dad into the business, then known as the General Post Office; acknowledges that the 68-year-old started her career in the city’s Pitt Street exchange, connecting local calls to operators around Scotland, then moved to International Enquiries and into clerical roles; understands that, when Alison began her career, there were places in the UK that she could not direct dial and most clerical workers and operators were female; notes that Alison switched to engineering more than 20 years ago; understands that Alison's career journey from operator to engineer sees her as Openreach’s longest serving female engineer in the UK, and the only person in its 3,400-strong Scottish workforce to achieve 50 years, and wishes her a happy retirement.

Supporters (31)

Source: the Scottish Parliament motions and amendments record.