Unions urge council workers to reject 'disappointing' pay offer

A strike by council workers in 2022 and 2023 saw rubbish pile up in Edinburgh city centre

The risk of another Scottish council strike has grown after unions received what they call a "disappointing" pay offer.

Councils are offering staff an 18 month deal with a 2.2% rise backdated to last month then a further 2% rise in October.

Trade union Unite has rejected the offer while the biggest council union Unison will urge its members to turn it down.

Council body Cosla said the offer was at the "limits of affordability".

The third main council union, the GMB, will discuss the offer on Friday.

It started a strike ballot amongst council care workers this week.

All three unions are at various steps in the process of organising or running strike ballots amongst council staff over pay.

This could lead to action later in the summer.

The chair of Unison Scotland's local government committee, Colette Hunter said the offer "falls short" of the level local government workers deserve and the union is recommending members to vote to reject it when they are consulted next week.

She said: “Workers have seen the value of their pay fall over the past ten years, while often being asked to do even more.

"They provide vital services to their communities by caring for the most vulnerable, educating children, waste and recycling, and keeping people safe. Council workers need a pay rise that reflects this.”

The offer would apply to virtually all council workers except teachers.

A spokesperson for Cosla said: "We believe that this is a strong, fair, and credible offer which reflects the high value council leaders place on the local government workforce and the invaluable work they do every day to serve our communities.”

Any pay offer has to be affordable to all 32 Scottish councils. Some are in a better financial position than others.

The unions say they understand the financial position councils are in and believe the Scottish Government needs to give councils more money.

Council workers went on strike over pay in 2022 and 2023. The first strike led to rubbish piling up in Edinburgh city centre.

These strikes were only resolved after the Scottish government gave councils more money so they could make a better pay offer.