Pay rises for better-off council staff would be capped under plans discussed to end waves of strikes by local authority workers.
After an intervention by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, it is understood the proposal on the table is to cap rises for staff earning over £60,000 to £3,000.
It will be discussed by council chiefs at a meeting starting at 9am this morning. Council bosses and trade unions have been at loggerheads over a failure to reach a pay deal for staff.
The dispute led to strikes by refuse workers and schools are scheduled to close next week when cleaners and janitors walk out. One of the key gripes of the existing offer is that it was more beneficial to higher paid staff than low paid workers.
After a summit chaired by the First Minister yesterday, which ended at 11.50pm, pay rises would be capped if the proposition tabled is accepted by council umbrella group COSLA.
It is understood the revised plan would not cost councils, who are in a position to table a formal offer, any more money.
If COSLA make a formal offer, positive noises from the unions could see strike action called off.
According to the Scottish Government, the latest rejected offer included a payment of at least £1,925 for council staff, with those earning £20,000 receiving £2,000.
But trade union 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.
A spokesperson for GMB Scotland, one of the unions whose members have been striking, said: “We believe progress has been made and would hope last night’s negotiations will result in a fresh offer that can be put to our local government committee for review.”
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