Strike action involving cleansing and waste workers in the Highlands could begin in July
Highland Council could be among 29 councils in Scotland affected by industrial action launched by the country’s largest union.
Unite has today (Wednesday 29 May) announced that it has served industrial action notices to 29 councils in an escalating pay dispute.
The trade union confirmed that it will ballot thousands of its members in cleansing and waste services from June 5 until July 1, when the ballots close.
This comes after Unite’s local government representatives had rejected outright a formal pay offer – which comprised of a 2.2 per cent rise effective from 1 April to 30 September, and then two per cent for a 12-month period effective from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025.from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities’ (COSLA) last Friday.
The only councils not involved in Unite’s ballot process are Clackmannanshire, East Lothian, and the Orkney Islands.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our members undertake vital frontline jobs. Despite the essential work they do, they have seen their pay eroded for years, they are simply no longer prepared to tolerate this situation.
“COSLA and the Scottish government have been warned that they must do far more to meet the pay aspirations of our members. The blame for any strike action taking place will lie at their doors.
“We will back our members all the way in the fight for better jobs, pay and conditions in local government.”
If the ballots for industrial action are successful, Unite revealed that strike action could begin from July with major events potentially being impacted during the summer – including the Edinburgh International and Fringe festivals.
Graham McNab, Unite industrial officer said: “Unite has now served industrial action notices to nearly every council in Scotland. If the ballots are successful, then our members in cleansing and waste services could begin strike action from July. Any action could impact on major summer events including the Edinburgh festival.”
“Let’s be clear that COSLA and the Scottish government must come back to us with a significantly revised pay offer, if they do not, then our members will have no option but to take action.”
