Cleansing workers from Unite vote for strikes in 16 council areas across Scotland
They've rejected a 3.2% pay rise from COSLA following in the footsteps of their counterparts at UNISON.
Last updated 22nd Jul 2024
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.”