Trade unions have warned “waste could pile high” in local authorities across Scotland, after they confirmed members will walk out over a “shameful” pay offer.
Council workers in the GMB and Unison unions at 13 local authorities across Scotland will walk out over a 2% pay increase offered to them by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).
Schools, early years workers and cleansing departments will down tools with dates yet to be confirmed.
Members in all councils across Scotland voted to reject the pay offer of 2% and secured turnouts surpassing the statutory 50% threshold for public sector ballots.
Unison, along with Unite and GMB unions, have asked for a £3,000 increase and a £12 an hour rate as a minimum for all council workers.
COSLA leaders will meet on Friday and the Unison says they “must” put forward an improved offer on the table to avoid disruption to council services across Scotland.
Johanna Baxter, Unison head of local government, said: “Council workers south of the border yesterday were offered a flat rate uplift of £1,925, which for those on the lowest pay equates to a 10.5% increase.
“You have to wonder why council workers north of the border have only been offered a measly 2% increase when the cost of living continues to spiral.
“It is clear now that local government workers have had enough and are prepared to strike in the coming weeks unless we see a sensible offer, from COSLA, on the table on Friday.
GMB Scotland senior organiser Keir Greenaway said: “Unless Ministers and Cosla make a significantly improved pay offer for the consultation of our members then strike action is happening across these vital services.
“The 2% cent that’s already been massively rejected is a shameful proposal, it’s worth less than a tenner a week extra for those earning £25,000 or under, and it will turn a cost-of-living crisis into a catastrophe for many workers and their families.
“Two years ago, these workers were applauded on the doorstep by political leaders, but now they are being told to suffer massive real terms pay cuts ahead of a brutal winter with forecasts of double-digit inflation and energy bills over £3,000.”
Scottish Labour said it would “stand in solidarity” with the claims of the workforce for a fair and decent pay increase that meets the rising cost of living.
Councillor David Ross, leader of the Labour group at COSLA, and Mark Griffin MSP, local government spokesperson for the party, said in a joint statement: “We are disappointed that COSLA has been unable to make a pay offer that would avoid the need for industrial action, but the responsibility for this lies fairly and squarely with the Scottish Government.
“Many local government workers are already low paid, with inflation running at over 9%, it’s not right that they should be forced to rely on benefits to bring their income up to a decent level as the Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary has been quoted as saying.
“Within COSLA, Labour councillors have consistently argued the need for a decent pay rise for our workers and we will continue to press the Scottish Government for the funding necessary to provide this.”
Meanwhile, the Scottish Conservatives stated that the potential industrial action is “deeply concerning”.
Party chairman Craig Hoy MSP said: “Scotland’s schoolchildren have suffered enough during the pandemic, without their education being further hit.
“Amid a global cost-of-living crisis, it’s understandable that workers are looking for fair and significant pay rises.
“But the root cause of this problem is the SNP Government – because they have systematically underfunded Scotland’s local authorities for years, making it impossible for councils to meet wage demands.
“Nicola Sturgeon must intervene immediately to prevent these catastrophic strikes going ahead.”
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