Council strike threat during Cycling World Championships in Glasgow

The Cycling World Championships will be staged at venues in Glasgow and across Scotland between 3 and 13 August

A union has warned that the Cycling World Championships in Glasgow this summer could be under threat after pay talks with council leaders broke down.

Unite says the current 5% offer, which has been rejected by its members, needs to be significantly improved to avoid a ballot for strike action.

The union has called on First Minister Humza Yousaf to intervene.

Local authority body Cosla said it had made a "strong" offer that showed the value it placed on its staff.

But the union warned that potential strike action could mean events including August's cycling championships that are being held in Glasgow and other parts of Scotland could face significant disruption or cancellation.

Meanwhile, GMB Scotland members working in schools and early years education are to vote on strike action after failing to see an increase in their 5.5% pay offer.

The Scottish government, under the leadership of then-first minister Nicola Sturgeon, intervened in last year's pay dispute to bring an end to widespread industrial action by unions which saw the lowest-paid council workers given a pay rise of about 10%.

Union bosses said Cosla was now "in danger of repeating exactly the same mistakes of last summer".

Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, said: "The Scottish government needs to intervene because Cosla for a second year in a row seems utterly incapable of sorting out a fair pay offer.

"The reality is that the current 5% offer needs to be significantly improved upon or we will have no choice but to ballot our members on strike action.

"Unite will always stand up for better jobs, pay and conditions in local government, and, just like last year, in the end we will win for our members."

'Effective pay cut'

GMB Scotland, which represents more than 8,000 council staff, said schools and early years education were effectively being asked to agree to a pay cut.

Keir Greenaway, the union's senior organiser for public services, said: "Given Cosla is unwilling or unable to offer a fair pay rise or ask ministers to intervene, we have been left with no choice but to ask our members if they are willing to take industrial action in support of our claim.

"They are suffering through an unprecedented cost of living crisis but have been offered a rise that is less than last year, despite the cost of living being even higher, and less than is being offered to council workers in England and Wales."

A Cosla spokesperson said the 5% offer to council workers "recognises the cost-of-living pressures on our workforce and, critically, it seeks to protect jobs and services".

The spokesperson added: "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.

"Crucially, it also raises the Scottish local government living wage by 99p to £11.84 per hour and sets out a commitment to work with our trade unions to develop a road map to £15 per hour in a way that protects our workforce and services we deliver."

The Scottish government reiterated that it has no formal role in local government pay negotiations, saying they are a matter for local authorities as employers and unions.

It urged all the parties involved to "work together constructively" and reach an agreement which is fair for the workforce and affordable for employers.