No pay deal reached at meeting of local council leaders

Union leaders say the lack of an improved pay offer will "only increase anger and fear" in a dispute with Scottish councils.

Cosla leaders have met to discuss the prospect of strike action by members of three trade unions who have rejected a 2% pay offer.

The council leaders decided they needed more information and opted to reconvene in the next week.

But now the Scottish Government have promised COSLA more money.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said:

“I can confirm that following constructive discussions with COSLA leaders, and notwithstanding the financial impact on our fully committed budget, the Scottish Government is contributing a further £140 million of recurring funding to support COSLA to make a revised pay offer to the local government workforce."

Waste and recycling workers at Edinburgh City Council are already planning to walk out for almost two weeks during the capital's busy festival season.

Responding to Friday's meeting, GMB Scotland senior organiser Keir Greenaway said: "The ongoing inaction on pay will only increase the anger and fear among our members - anger about the total lack of value being shown to them and fear about what the winter will bring.

"In the six months since the 2% was rejected, staff have suffered badly in a cost-of-living crisis that's now spiralling out of control.

"More of our members are affected by debt, fuel poverty and hunger, and this will only get worse with further rises to inflation and energy bills."

He continued: "It is shameful that swathes of our public services are delivered by people in working poverty and it's disturbing that our political leaders won't confront it.

"This crisis will turn into a catastrophe for tens of thousands of key workers, and more councils will face more strikes unless a significantly improved pay offer is tabled."

Earlier, Wendy Dunsmore of the Unite trade union said more action could be announced next week unless a new offer is put on the table.

Three unions representing local government workers - Unite, Unison and the GMB - have rejected the 2% pay rise offered.

A Cosla spokesperson said: "We held constructive discussions with Scottish Government earlier this week.

"Leaders met virtually today and at this meeting agreed that they needed further information.

"Given the importance of a pay award for our workforce, council leaders wanted to seek further clarification from both the Scottish Government and the UK Government and will reconvene in the next seven days to further consider this matter."

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