Planned strike action by council waste and street cleaning workers across most of Scotland has been suspended.
Unison, Unite and GMB members in 26 of Scotland’s 32 council areas were due to walk out between 14 August and 22 August after rejecting two previous offers by local government body COSLA.
The unions will now put the industrial action on hold as they ballot members on a fresh pay deal that would see a 3.6% increase for all grades, with the lowest paid getting an extra 5.63% (£1,292).
COSLA said this equates to an overall offer value of 4.27%, said to be better than that made to local government workers in the rest of the UK.
Unison says pay offer ‘not enough’
Unison said it is recommending staff – in 13 council areas and at an arms-length waste management specialist company – reject the offer.
David O’Connor, Unison Scotland local government lead, said: “Unison’s view is that it’s still not enough.
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“Council staff have seen the value of their pay reduced by 25% over the past 14 years and any pay deal needs to do more to reverse this.
“The union has been clear all along that the wage deal needs to work for everyone in local government. This pause will provide some breathing space for further dialogue.”
The new offer was made on Friday after the Scottish government guaranteed extra funding to cover the costs.
Finance and Local Government Secretary Shona Robison warned it was at the “absolute limit of affordability” and said the government would “have to move money from elsewhere in the budget and reduce funding for other programmes”.
Unite says offer is ‘credible’
Unite said its ballot – involving members in 18 council areas – will open on Thursday and close on 5 September.
Graham McNab, Unite’s lead negotiator for local government, said: “Unite members across all of Scotland’s councils should be applauded for standing firm. They have remained resolute in an effort to secure a fairer and better pay offer.
“We believe that the new pay offer is credible. For the first time in years, it will mean all council workers receiving an above inflation increase.”
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A similar dispute in 2022 saw rubbish pile up on the streets of Scotland’s capital during Edinburgh’s busy festival season.
Similarly, it was only brought to an end when the Scottish government provided extra funds to councils for workers’ pay.
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GMB says offer is ‘significant improvement’
GMB is yet to confirm the dates of its ballot – involving members in 18 council areas – but said it will likely take place over three weeks and end in September.
Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland senior organiser in public services, branded the offer a “significant improvement” but stated it “should never have got to this stage”.
He said: “Scotland’s council leaders have again shown an absolute lack of urgency or sense of realism.
“For months, we have been forced to waste time discussing a series of low-ball offers when it was already clear the Scottish government needed to be at the table.”
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The Scottish government said it provided £77.5m to fund the latest offer.
Finance Secretary Ms Robison said: “We are taking on significant, additional financial pressure and have been clear painful choices have had to be made to fund this pay deal.
“The offer will provide an above inflation pay increase for all and support the lowest paid.
“I am pleased it is now with the workforce for their close consideration and would urge members to strongly consider this significantly improved envelope.”
COSLA was contacted for comment.
Council areas:
• GMB: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, East Ayrshire, City of Edinburgh, East Dunbartonshire, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, and West Lothian.
• Unison: Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, East Lothian, Fife, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, Midlothian, North Lanarkshire, Perth and Kinross, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, and West Lothian. Cireco, an arms-length waste management specialist company, is also included.
• Unite: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, City of Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, and West Lothian.
