Unions have called off strikes which were set to leave schools closed and bins unemptied across Stirling this week.
The industrial action was set to force all nurseries, primaries and Additional Support Needs (ASN) settings to shut their doors for three days this week, while waste workers were also set to head off on a second bout of strike action beginning today.
However, following meetings last week between the First Minister, Deputy First Minister, COSLA and unions, Unison members will now be presented with an improved pay offer, with a recommendation to accept.
The offer means that the action has now been suspended, with all council services returning to a normal schedule this week.
A statement on the Stirling Council website read: “Planned industrial action for the week commencing September 5 has been suspended pending a deal being agreed between Unions and COSLA.
“All Stirling Council schools, nurseries and ASN settings will open as normal and bin collections will resume their usual schedule from Monday, September 5.
“We’d like to thank residents for their patience and understanding during this period of disruption.”
Unison officials hailed the new offer as a success for their members and paid tribute to workers for putting the pressure on through agreed walkouts to secure the deal.
Johanna Baxter, Unison’s head of local government, said: “This offer is a victory for Unison members.
“It has taken eight months and the industrial might of UNISON members in schools and early years and waste and recycling workers to drag £600m out of Scottish Government and COSLA and into the pockets hardworking people.
“COSLA originally offered 2 per cent, then 3.5 per cent, then 5 per cent – we now we have £600m on the table, which is a 7.5 per cent increase to the total pay bill and 87 per cent of our council workers will receive fully consolidated increases between 5 per cent to 10 per cent.
“Unison want to get this money into the pockets of council workers now while we continue the campaign to support people through the cost of living crisis,
“It is only through the collective action of our members in school and early years staff threatening strike action and our waste and recycling workers taking action that we have forced these extra funds out of government and the employer.
“Our members’ message was clear and unequivocal – Unison’s local government members are no longer prepared to be treated as the poor relations of the public sector.”
The resolution was also backed by local politicians, with Stirling MSP Evelyn Tweed writing on social media: “Positive news that trade unions have called off school and bin strikes across Scotland including in Stirling in the coming weeks.
“I hope that members will accept the new pay offer.”
Bannockburn councillor Alasdair Macpherson added: “I am delighted that trade unions have secured these concessions from the Scottish Government. As a lifelong trade unionist myself I sincerely hope that those council employees who are not members of a trade union see how powerful they can be to hold local and national government to task.”
“I am also very pleased that the planned industrial action has been stopped as they were going to cause massive disruption to my constituents.”
