UNISON, the largest union representing council waste and recycling staff, says strikes are set to go ahead after they rejected a revised pay offer aimed at avoiding industrial action over the summer.
UNISON said that in cash terms the revised 1-year offer of 3.2% is no better than what was already on the table.
However, local government body Cosla described its offer as “strong, fair, and credible” and said it reflects the “high value” council leaders place on the local government workforce.
The union said that waste, recycling and street cleaners in 13 councils in Scotland have voted to strike, and they have begun balloting 38,000 school, early years and family centre staff.
UNISON Scotland local government lead David O’Connor commented: “Cosla’s revised offer puts absolutely no more money on the table. They have not moved one iota since we advised them that we are preparing for strikes.
“At today’s talks (Friday) we told them local government staff are looking for a pay deal that addresses a cost-of-living crisis and that the value of their pay has dropped 25% over the past 14 years.”
The union Unite has also rejected the pay offer and said workers are being “grossly undervalued” compared with UK council counterparts.
Unless COSLA and the Scottish government move quickly to make an acceptable offer then mountains of rubbish will pile up across the nation’s streets.
Unite has the largest union membership on the verge of participating in a first wave of strike action involving waste workers, street cleaners, and recycling centre operators.
An offer of £1,290 has been made to council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the National Joint Council (NJC).
Unite said this equated to a rise of 67p per hour or 5.2% for a council worker earning around £25,000 based on a 37-hour week, while the COSLA offer of 3.2% equated to £800 or a 41p per hour increase.
The union said the difference means that a Scottish council worker would need to earn above £40,000 to match the offer being made to council workers across the UK, so it “disproportionately” impacts the lowest-paid council workers.
Commenting on the situation, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “COSLA has taken months to put a new offer to our local government membership, and it’s one that does absolutely nothing to address more than a decade of deep cuts to pay and services.
“Unless COSLA and the Scottish government move quickly to make an acceptable offer then mountains of rubbish will pile up across the nation’s streets. The politicians have a choice, and one more chance, to resolve this pay dispute before strike action.”
