Unions meet to consider bin strike pay deal
Council bosses have upped the pay deal on offer
Union leaders will be meeting today to decide whether to accept an improved pay offer and call off bin workers' strikes.
On Friday the council's body Colsa said it was upping the deal on the table as a result of "additional funding" found by Scottish ministers.
Workers from 26 local authorities will due to walk out for eight days from Wednesday until Thursday 22nd August.
Cosla is requesting that strike action is suspended while the offer of an overall rise of 4.27% is considered by unions.
A previous offer of 3.2% was rejected by GMB Scotland, Unison and Unite, with the waste disruption expected to hit cities including Glasgow, and Edinburgh during its festival period.
Call to suspend strikes
Katie Hagmann, Cosla's resources spokeswoman, said she hoped the strikes would now be suspended while unions put the offer to their members.
"Having worked hard over the last week with Scottish Government to increase and guarantee additional funding, Leaders are now in a position to make this improved offer to our trade unions," she said.
"This offer reflects what trade unions have asked for and we hope that they will now be prepared to call off the strikes while they put that offer to their members."
Unions frustrated
GMB Scotland confirmed a revised offer from Cosla had been received at 4.30pm on Friday, and that it would be be discussed by its local government committee this morning.
However, Keir Greenaway, senior organiser in public services, said the decision to accept the offer or any other will be taken by members, adding: "Our local government committee will meet to discuss the detail of the revised offer on Monday and, if it is potentially acceptable, will suspend our industrial action and ballot our members."
Unison Scotland local government lead David O'Connor said: "Our local government committee will consider this revised offer on Monday, and we will decide whether or not it is sufficient to suspend the waste and recycling strikes.
"However, Unison is by far the largest union in local government and we must make sure that any pay deal works for all council workers.
"It's very frustrating to be here, at the final hour again. Unison put its pay claim in at the beginning of the year."
LOOK BACK: The bin strike workers strike of 2022
Rubbish bins overflowing in the Grassmarket due to industrial action by Edinburgh council workers.
An overflowing bin can be seen outside the Waverley Market next to the station.
Rubbish pilling up in residential streets in Gorgie.
Tourists walk past overflowing bins, at the height of festival season in the Capital.
The sixth day of the Waste Service Strike has led to central Edinburgh becoming an unsanitary mess.
Rubbish bins overflowing outside Edinburgh Waverley.
Rubbish pilling up in residential streets in Gorgie.
Bins overflowing with rubbish are being taped up as they begin to overflow with waste, at the height of festival season.
Extra money found
Finance and Local Government Secretary Shona Robison said: "Against an extremely challenging financial landscape, the Scottish Government has identified additional funding to support Cosla to make a strong offer.
"The enhanced envelope represents the absolute limit of affordability and has required difficult decision-making.
"In order to fund this offer, if it is accepted, the Scottish Government will have to move money from elsewhere in the budget and reduce funding for other programmes.
"These will be very painful choices and we will set them out publicly in due course.
"I welcome that Scotland's council leaders have made a strong offer and we await the outcome of local government union considerations."