Unions reject 'disappointing and frankly shameful' pay offer as waste, street cleaning and recyling staff start walkout after talks with Cosla and the Unite and GMB unions fail

The unions at the centre of strike action – underway in the Highlands today – have rejected outright the latest pay offer from local authorities with one labelled it “bitterly disappointing and frankly shameful.”

Last night, Unite the Union and the GMB confirmed the latest round of talks with Cosla (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) had failed after a pay hike of five per cent was rejected.

Now Cosla and the Scottish Government have been slammed for offering a worse pay deal than the one tabled for workers in England.

After the joint trade union talks ended without progress on the local government pay offer, GMB Scotland Senior Organiser Keir Greenaway blamed Cosla.

“The fact that Cosla couldn’t even commit to the basic principle of a flat rate offer which would help the lowest paid is bitterly disappointing and frankly shameful,” he said.

“Our members are angry about the lack of value being shown to them by political leaders and scared about the prospect of pay that doesn’t confront a cost-of-living crisis that’s getting worse by the week.

“Cosla leaders meet again on Friday, and they have got to do so much better, because until our members’ concerns are addressed, strikes will continue, and they will grow.”

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No more cash for staff

Unite members were the first to walk out today – they are due to return on Thursday next week – and according to the union after Cosla made it clear that there would be no additional cash to fund an improved pay deal

For more than half of local government workers, Cosla’s offer represents an offer of between £900-£1250 which is less than the UK government’s offer to council workers in England of a £1925 flat rate pay offer.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s local government committee recognises that Cosla’s pay offer does not address the cost of living crisis in any way for the vast majority of workers.

“Unite makes no apologies for standing up for our council members across Scotland because they deserve better. We will fully support them in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”

Unite is issuing a stark warning that unless Cosla and the Scottish Government improve the current offer then strike action could continue beyond the winter – and spread to even more council areas where the trade union has a strike mandate.

Unite industrial officer, Wendy Dunsmore added: “Unite has rejected outright the five per cent pay offer and strike action across 14 councils will go ahead. It’s a sad indictment that council workers in Scotland are being offered substantially less than their counterparts in England.

“The cold hard reality is that inflation and energy costs are soaring – and they are predicted to rise even higher. The 5 per cent today will not be worth the same in a matter of months when the cost of living crisis will bite even harder. The offer on the table just doesn’t help the lowest paid make ends meet.”

“This dispute will continue to escalate to a point where it could now go beyond the winter causing months of massive nationwide disruption. The blame for this will lie squarely at the doors of Cosla and the Scottish Government.”

It is reported that more than half of Scotland’s 250,000 council workers are earning less than £25,000 a year for a 37-hour week.

Unite estimates that over 1,500 members will be involved in the coordinated and targeted strike action involving waste services and schools across Scotland.

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