Two Edinburgh Labour councillors have clashed on Twitter after one of the council's most senior members asked his party colleague "what have you done" about looming bin collector strikes.
Cllr Katrina Faccenda, who is currently suspended from Labour for voting against the group forming an administration, said she will "be out on the picket line" with council workers if planned strikes over a pay dispute go ahead later this month.
Hundreds of waste and street cleansing staff are set to walk out next Thursday (August 18) until the end of the festival after GMB, Unite and Unison members rejected a 2 per cent pay offer.
READ MORE: Future Edinburgh tram stop plan sees proposal for new 5G mast refused
Part of a coordinated effort by local government staff across Scotland to put pressure on council umbrella body COSLA to put an increased pay offer on the table, GMB warned rubbish will "pile" on the streets of Edinburgh unless an agreement is reached.
Cllr Faccenda said on Twitter: "Council workers have had enough of low pay and delivering services on shoe-string budgets.
"If strikes happen I will be out on the picket line to support them. This is a fight for better wages and better funding.
"No council should bring in other staff to break the strike," she added, amid speculation agency workers will be brought in during the period of industrial action.
In reply, the council's transport and environment convener Scott Arthur said it was "great" she will be on the picket line, but asked his colleague: "What have you done about the situation as a Labour Councillor?"
Urging Cllr Arthur to delete the Tweet, Cllr Faccenda said she would "just ignore" the pointed response "and leave you to save your dignity".
While senior Labour MP's have been punished for joining picket lines in recent weeks, there are no rules in place preventing group members in the capital from getting involved.
Talks are ongoing this week between unions and COSLA as both sides attempt to find a solution.
Despite the Scottish Government announcing £140m recurring funding for council staff last week, Mary Alexander, Unite deputy regional secretary, said a the settlement "is not sufficient" to meet workers' demands.
Johanna Baxter, UNISON Scotland head of local government, said it "is unlikely to touch the sides of what is needed".
Council leader Cammy Day said: “We’re continuing to develop detailed contingency plans ahead of any strike action.
"These could include re-prioritising services and collections, similar to the approach we took during the pandemic, and diverting resources from other teams across the Council to help meet demand.
“My position remains firmly that our colleagues across the Council deserve to be paid fairly for the work they do, and I once again call on the Scottish Government to properly fund our capital city and its services.
"There are further meetings planned in the coming days and I hope that this can be resolved favourably as soon as possible.”
READ NEXT:
- Exhausted Edinburgh social care workers 'expected to work 24 hour shifts', union claims
Huge Edinburgh mural to cover up North Bridge repairs as work drags on
Rotting Edinburgh footbridge over Water of Leith shut over safety fears
Edinburgh nursery failed to 'respect children's personal space'
BT appeal Edinburgh 'street hub' refusal amid pressure to replace eyesore phone boxes
