MSPs have been told there is an “absolutely unprecedented” mandate for strikes by Scottish school workers due to take place next week.
This comes as unions have rejected the latest pay offer from employers at the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), which they say would equate to a “measly” 38 pence increase per week for the lowest paid workers.
School staff, including cleaners, caterers, janitors and school support assistants, are due to walk out over three days starting on Tuesday next week.
Workers represented by the Unison, GMB and Unite trade unions will take part in the action.
Johanna Baxter, head of local government at Unison, said the ballot result showed a strike mandate covering over 21,000 members across 24 local authority areas and almost 2000 schools.
Speaking to Holyrood’s Local Government Committee on Tuesday as it discussed workforce planning issues, Baxter said the mandate was “absolutely unprecedented” and that it “demonstrated the feeling of concern and anger amongst the local government workforce.”
She added that the upcoming strike was the result of years of underfunding in the sector.
She said: “I think it’s untenable for the overall pay bill to remain frozen.”
Whilst trade unions have said the latest pay offer would lead to a “measly” increase of 38 pence per week for the lowest paid, the local government body has said the offer would mean the lowest-paid workers would see a 21% increase in their pay over a two-year period.
Those at the local government body said the pay offer currently on the table will cost councils just under half a billion pounds and that council leaders had gone to the “absolute limits of what local government can afford”.
