Education support staff campaigners received beeps, thumbs up and fist bumps of support as they balloted outside an Aberdeen school.
The gathering of Unite members outside Harlaw Academy in Aberdeen is part of targeted industrial action taking place in several areas across Scotland.
Balloting over a pay dispute for education support staff, members received a lot of support from parents, pupils and staff in Aberdeen today.
Some parents even handed out fist bumps to members holding banners and red flags.
Members are planning to then “make some noise” outside Marischal College in the city later today.
It follows after action was taken in Perth, Dundee and Monifieth on Thursday.
We need to recognise value of public services
Brian Robertson, chairman of Unite‘s local government committee for Scotland, said balloting outside schools had become necessary in the face of Cosla‘s latest “poor” pay offer.
Looking to raise awareness in different areas, he said: “We are balloting them because it’s targeted industrial action.
“The offer from Cosla was really insufficient and convoluted given the cost of living at the moment and also giving the devaluation of of jobs over much more than a ten-year period.
“We’ve not got a good offer from Cosla, it’s a very poor offer.
“It’s 5% with another 2.5% for three months in January. It equates to approximately 5.8% for the whole year. Inflation is still stagnating at around 8% so it’s a pay cut.
“Nobody wants to go to these lengths but we have to because it is about paying your electricity bill.”
Mr Robertson warned that if government and the public sector cannot keep pace with inflation it spells for a worse job for the next generation but also a poorer service for the public.
He warned it could also leave “huge gaps” in significant roles for the public such as in the care sector.
Mr Robertson added: “We need the Scottish Government to come to the table to examine the ways they can improve the funding for local government at this point in order to improve the pay offer.
“If you think about it local government is the foundation stone of the public services locally.”
The offer seeks to protect jobs and services
A Cosla spokesman said the council, as employers, had made a “strong offer” which had raised the Scottish local government living wage by 99p to £11.84 per hour.
They added: “A strong offer which clearly illustrates the value Councils place on their workforce, and it compares well to other sectors. It recognises the cost-of-living pressures on our workforce and critically, it seeks to protect jobs and services.
“While the offer value in year is 5.5%, the average uplift on salaries going into the next financial year is 7%.
“Those on the Scottish Local Government Living Wage would get 9.12% and those at higher grades, where Councils are experiencing severe recruitment challenges, would see 6.05%.
“It is an offer which recognises both the vital role of the people who deliver our essential services across councils every day and the value that we, as employers, place on them.”
