Dumfries and Galloway Council staff could strike in pay row

Hundreds of council workers could be set to strike in a row over pay.

The GMB union has hit out at a “paltry” offer of a two per cent pay increase from council bosses at the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). Yesterday the union sent a statutory notice to the local government body of its intention to ballot all members in schools and early years as well as waste and cleansing services about potential strike action. The ballot opens on Monday and closes on July 26. The GMB say that an increased offer must be made to combat the cost of living crisis and that for many two per cent would be the equivalent of an extra £10 per week.

GMB Scotland senior organiser Keir Greenaway, said: “Tens of thousands of the lowest-paid staff in local government will go from the frontline of public service delivery to below the breadline unless their pay confronts soaring inflation and
eye-watering energy bills.

“But instead of recognising the scale of the challenge and rising to meet it, political leaders are sleeping at the wheel and blaming each other for their inability to address it – it’s a far cry from their doorstep applause every Thursday night only two years ago.

“Let’s be clear. A pay rise of just two per cent for the workers earning under £25,000 a year is worth no more than a tenner a week. It will turn a crisis into a catastrophe for many working families and there is no trade union worth its salt that would leave that unchallenged.

“Unless COSLA comes back to the negotiating table with a vastly improved offer that reflects the fact our members are working in the biggest cost of living crisis in 40 years then industrial action looks inevitable.”

This latest move from the GMB follows a similar pattern from Unite union bosses who plan to ballot carers, refuse collectors and school workers for strike action in early June unless significant progress is made.

Unite industrial officer Wendy Dunsmore accused COSLA of having “zero backbone” when it comes to standing up against the Scottish Government to demand “services and workers get the support they need”.

The two per cent pay offer in March was unanimously rejected by Unite, Unison and the GMB who argued it did not go far enough to alleviate issues of the cost of living crisis.

A COSLA spokesperson said: “We remain in active discussion with our Trade Union partners.”