Cleansing workers from Unite vote for strikes in 16 council areas across Scotland

There is a stark warning rubbish could pile up on the streets across Scotland again as cleansing workers represented by Unite the union vote for strike action in 16 councils.

Members of Unite and GMB Scotland in various council areas have rejected a 3.2% pay rise from COSLA following in the footsteps of their counterparts at UNISON.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “COSLA has taken months to put a new offer to our local government membership, and it’s one that does absolutely nothing to address more than a decade of deep cuts to pay and services.

“Unless COSLA and the Scottish government move quickly to make an acceptable offer then mountains of rubbish will pile up across the nation’s streets. The politicians have a choice, and one more chance, to resolve this pay dispute before strike action.”

The following the local authorities are affected:

Aberdeen City Council

Angus Council

City of Edinburgh Council

Dumfries & Galloway Council

Dundee City Council

East Ayrshire Council

East Dunbartonshire

East Renfrewshire Council

Fife Council

Glasgow City Council

Inverclyde Council

North Ayrshire Council

North Lanarkshire Council

Renfrewshire Council

South Ayrshire Council

South Lanarkshire Council

The Highland Council

West Lothian Council

Members are going to be re-balloted in Aberdeenshire, Argyll and Bute, Falkirk, Scottish Borders, South Lanarkshire.

COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Katie Hagmann said: COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Katie Hagmann said: COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Katie Hagmann said:

"We are extremely disappointed to hear that all three unions have rejected the revised offer. I'll reiterate that the revised offer we put forward last week was a strong, fair and credible pay offer, higher than the rate of inflation and worth more than the first year of the Scottish Government's Public Sector Pay Policy.

"We have been very clear in all discussions with trade unions that the offer is also at the very limit of affordability for councils given the challenging financial situation we are facing. While we are disappointed with this outcome, we remain committed to continuing to engage as positively as we can with our Trade Unions, as strike action is in nobody’s interests.”

Hear the latest news on Clyde 1 on FM, DAB, smart speaker or the Rayo app.