Thousands of key workers who kept the country going during the pandemic now face having to live in poverty because of the cost of living crisis.
Many frontline staff who were applauded on doorsteps across the land are now on the breadline, according to a study by the GMB.
The union said a proposed 2% pay rise for carers, refuse collectors and school staff is far below the inflation rate and is not enough to cover huge hikes in the price of food, energy and fuel.
GMB research shows 51.4% of Scotland’s 200,000 council workers now earn less than £25,000 a year for a 37-hour week.
Tens of thousands have fallen below £19,000 a year, bringing them into the official poverty bracket.
The Sunday Mail spoke to a school cleaning supervisor who tells us she is barely surviving on earnings of around £15,000 a year.
And a refuse collector tells us he struggles to heat his home and feed his four children on his £18,000 salary.
The GMB probe found Glasgow had 14,484 council workers earning under £25,000, with 15,108 in Edinburgh, 2832 in Aberdeen, 7187 in South Lanarkshire, 2820 in West Dunbartonshire and 3531 in West Lothian.
In Glasgow, the vast majority of those earning less than £25,000 – 11,075 – are women.
GMB Scotland senior organiser Keir Greenaway said: “The biggest cost-of-living crisis in over 30 years could turn into a catastrophe for tens of thousands of low-paid workers in local government.
“The two per cent pay increase on the table from council bosses won’t amount to more than a tenner a week for the likes of school cleaners and caterers, cleansing workers, and home carers.
“Key workers are already feeling the pain and with the prospect of further increases to already eye-watering energy costs when we head into the cold winter months, more and more workers will go from the frontline to below the breadline.
“That’s an appalling prospect and one GMB won’t leave unchallenged.”
The union said members have rejected the two per cent offer, made by councils via their umbrella group Cosla, and are prepared to take strike action.
The Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) said a person is living in poverty when their income, after housing costs, is less than 60 per cent of the national average salary, currently £31,400.
The GMB estimates about 50,000 council workers in Scotland live below the £18,800 a year threshold and many workers in the private sector face similar challenges.
We told in February how some Asda staff could no longer afford to shop at their own stores because of the soaring cost of living, a situation only addressed by Asda last week.
Neil Cowan of the Poverty Alliance, which helps firms to become Living Wage employers, said: “Politicians say work is a route out of poverty but that’s only true if it provides an income that meets the real needs of households.
“Every person working in Scotland deserves an income that keeps them and their households above the rising tide of poverty.”
Scottish Labour’s Mark Griffin said: “The same workers that kept us going through the pandemic are being forced to pay the price for the cuts to councils. We applauded them but they don’t need our plaudits – they need a fair pay deal.”
Peter Barrett of the Scottish Lib Dems called on ministers to “step up and fully fund a fair pay increase”.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: “We are not involved in local government pay negotiations. Pay settlements for council workers – excluding teachers – are a matter for Cosla.”
Cosla said: “We remain in ongoing discussions with our trade union colleagues in relation to pay.”
Cleaning supervisor Maria Brown worked through the pandemic, keeping her school open to provide classes for the children of key workers.
She said the two per cent pay offer fails to cover the increases in the cost of her heating, food and petrol to get to and from work.
Maria, 63, works 30 hours a week at Mearns Castle High School in Newton Mearns, near Glasgow, for about £15,000 a year.
She and her retired husband have to survive on her monthly take home pay of £1067 from East Renfrewshire Council, plus a small pension.
Maria, who lives in Stevenston, Ayrshire, has seen her weekly food costs almost double from £70 a week to £135 and the cost of petrol rise from £30 a fortnight to £45 a week.
She also has to maintain, tax and insure her car, pay council tax and is fearful of her gas and electricity bills when a price fix ends soon.
Maria said: “My husband and I are just surviving.”
She had hoped to take early retirement but will be forced to continue on to her pension age of 67 to make ends meet.
Maria added: “I was happy to work through the pandemic and keep the schools open but our hard work has not been recognised.
“A wage rise of 2% is not even laughable, 6% would be better for the sacrifice we all made.”
For refuse collector Thomas Murphy, the last few months have been a financial nightmare.
He said that the two per cent wage rise on offer will not cover any of his increased living costs.
The father of four, 34, works 12-hour shifts for Glasgow City Council at their Govan depot and earns just under £19,000 a year.
He said: “It has been a real struggle. I walk away with about £1300 a month and by the time you pay your rent and council tax there is little left.
“On top of that you have clothes for the children and birthdays. There are so many things to pay for it is really hard to get by.
“People think that because you work for Glasgow City Council you are on good money but nothing could be further from the truth.”
Thomas, whose children are 14, 10, three and one, has had to borrow money to get by.
He said: “The two per cent pay rise will be swallowed up by the increase in the cost of gas and electricity and food and will not make one single bit of difference or improvement to my life.”
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here .
