More council strikes in bins and education are set to go ahead next week after unions rejected the latest “unacceptable” offer from local authorities.
After negotiations over the weekend, Unite’s local government committee rejected outright an offer from council umbrella body Cosla, while GMB Scotland also turned the deal down.
More bin strikes are due to take place in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Highland and Orkney council areas on various dates between September 6 and 13.
Meanwhile, school strikes are also planned for September in Orkney and Aberdeenshire.
What was the latest pay offer?
Cosla says the deal included giving 5% to all staff plus an additional cost of living payment to our lowest paid employees.
Based on a 37-hour week no member of staff would get less than the additional £1,925 and for those earning under £20,500 at least a £2,000 pay increase – for this year and also next year.
But Unite said the payment could be as low as £989 for some employees, with 85% receiving between £1,925 and £2,000, and any payment would not be recurring.
The offer remains unacceptable and it represents a waste of precious time.”
Unite industrial officer Wendy Dunsmore
GMB Scotland senior organiser Keir Greenaway said the unions pushed for a flat rate increase, rather than one based on a percentage of current wage, claiming that Cosla tabled a deal that “only feathers the nests of service directors”.
Mr Greenaway added that if Cosla does not return to talks “as soon as possible”, then the union’s local government committee will outline plans to “fully consult GMB members”.
As a result of the rejection, strike action across the country in education and cleansing will go ahead next week unless a deal can be reached before then.
Action by cleansing workers in Edinburgh in recent weeks led to rubbish littering the streets of the capital during one of the busiest times of the year for tourism, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Staff are slated to return on Tuesday.
Unite members in other authorities also walked out this weekend, and are due to return on Wednesday.
Wendy Dunsmore, the union’s industrial officer, said: “Unite has rejected outright the latest pay offer from Cosla.
“The structure of the offer continues to disproportionately and unfairly affect the lowest paid with the majority of those being women.
“In real terms it leaves the lowest paid workers no better off and a significant proportion of the offer does not enhance overtime, allowances or pensions.
“The offer remains unacceptable and it represents a waste of precious time.”
‘Offer is as good as it gets’
Cosla says the package it put forward to unions was worth £500million.
Katie Harmann, the group’s resources spokeswoman, says the offer remains on the table for unions and has stressed it is “as good as it gets”.
2/ I understand the pressures workers face which is why we have exhausted all options in last few days to make more funding available to support those on lowest incomes. If we could go further we would, but @scotgov budget is finite. I hope trade union members accept the offer
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) August 29, 2022
She said: “It is perhaps only when waste starts piling up and there is the prospect of further disruption to life with school closures that others see the hidden value local government services deliver each and every day of the year in our towns, villages and cities.
“It is for this reason that we as employers have done everything possible to put the best offer we can to our workforce. But we are now at the absolute extremes of affordability and this is already an offer which is stretching our already stretched finance like never before.
“This year’s offer is significantly better and different to previous offers and would have helped to support our Council workforces across the country at this difficult time.
“That support is crucial at any time but particularly now, during the cost of living crisis the country is facing. This is why we are so disappointed with the response to it from our trade union colleagues.”
Deputy First Minister John Swinney added: “No deal is perfect and I wish we could go further but this deal does offer significant increases for those on low pay.
“We must now respect the democratic trade union processes underway while we hope that members decide to accept the offer.”
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