UNITE has confirmed that it has rejected a new pay offer by Cosla which the Government had hoped would end the bin workers' strike.
Cleansing staff were offered a minimum of around £1925 extra in pay by council chiefs during the fifth round of negotiations on Monday.
Unite said the latest offer was a "waste of precious time" as further industrial action is due to take place within weeks, and have instructed members not to accept the latest pay offer.
Cosla said they were "disappointed" that the offer wasn't taken up, and said it was "as good as it gets" as local authorities can't afford to pay any more.
Acting Finance Secretary John Swinney said that despite union chief's recommendations he hopes workers will accept the offer.
Last week, workers walked out after a 3.5% pay offer was put on the table and began the strike.
A second offer of 5% later in the week was also rejected.
And now, further strikes set for September, which will include nursery and school staff at seven local authorities, look set to go ahead.
Bin workers will walk out in 20 council areas, two-thirds of Scotland's local authorities.
The union said they rejected the offer as it still disproportionately hits the lowest paid.
They insisted the offer is still in line with a 5% average across council staff pay grades - and that for the lowest paid would only be around £989.
For around 85% of the workforce, the offer would have meant a pay increase between £1925 and £2000.
However, they added that the offer will not be consolidated into salaries, it is non-recurring and it fails to recognise the cost of living is projected to increase for all workers.
Unite industrial officer Wendy Dunsmore, said: “Unite has rejected outright the latest pay offer from Cosla. The structure of the offer continues to disproportionately and unfairly effect the lowest paid with the majority of those being women.
"In real terms it leaves the lowest paid workers no better-off and a significant proportion of the offer does not enhance overtime, allowances or pensions.
“The offer remains unacceptable and it represents a waste of precious time. We understand the gravity of the situation across the country but equally our members are facing the worst cost of living crisis in a generation.
"Unite’s strike action remains scheduled for next week unless COSLA gets back to us with a credible offer which addresses our primary concerns.”
Councillor Katie Hagmann, Cosla's resources spokesperson, said that they have done "everything possible" to put the best offer forward to the workforce.
She added: "But we are now at the absolute extremes of affordability and this is already an offer which is stretching our already stretched finance like never before.
“This year’s offer is significantly better and different to previous offers and would have helped to support our Council workforces across the country at this difficult time.
“That support is crucial at any time but particularly now, during the cost of living crisis the country is facing."
Hagmann said Cosla were "disappointed" with the response to the offer made by unions.
She added: “Given our commitment as employers to get to this point, we are disappointed that Trade Unions will not suspend planned strike action whilst they put this offer to members to allow workers to get back to doing what they do best, delivering high quality, essential services right across Scotland.
“My final point to the Trade Union colleagues is that we have done everything we possibly can to get to this stage and that this offer – which is still on the table - is as good as it gets."
Commenting on the latest offer on Twitter, the First Minister said "if we could go further we would" and that all funding options had been exhausted.
She wrote: "The new offer on the table from Cosla is backed by a further £200m of Scottish Government funding over this & next year. This ensures that the previous 5% offer is topped up to £1925 for all those earning below £39,000. For those earning £20,000 it delivers £2000, equivalent to 10%.
"I understand the pressures workers face which is why we have exhausted all options in last few days to make more funding available to support those on lowest incomes. If we could go further we would, but the Scottish Government budget is finite. I hope trade union members accept the offer."
1/ The new offer on the table from @COSLA is backed by a further £200m of @scotgov funding over this & next year. This ensures that the previous 5% offer is topped up to £1925 for all those earning below £39,000. For those earning £20,000 it delivers £2000, equivalent to 10%. https://t.co/froRxb08o5
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) August 29, 2022
Deputy First Minister Swinney said: “That offer would see the Scottish Government providing a further £200 million over two years – in addition to the £140 million of additional funding already announced – to provide a Cost of Living Payment to local authority workers earning below around £39,000.
“Combined with the pay uplift itself, that would mean someone earning £20,000, for example, will receive a £2000 increase in take home pay – equivalent to 10%.
“Everyone under £39,000 would receive the Cost of Living Payment ensuring their increase is at least £1925 and it is only those above £39,000 that would just get 5%.
“No deal is perfect and I wish we could go further but this deal does offer significant increases for those on low pay. We must now respect the democratic trade union processes underway while we hope that members decide to accept the offer.”
