Council workers in Scotland vote to go on strike
Thousands of workers have voted for industrial action which will disrupt schools, nurseries and waste centres
Last updated 27th Jul 2022
Thousands of council workers across Scotland have voted to go on strike - in a move which would disrupt schools, early years centres, nurseries and waste and recycling centres.
UNISON, Scotland largest local government union, says it's the largest strike ballot amongst council workers in over a decade.
Council workers in the GMB and Unison at 13 local authorities across Scotland will walk out over a 2% pay increase offered to them by Cosla.
Areas which could be affected by the action include City of Glasgow, Aberdeenshire Council, Stirling, East Renfrewshire, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire and Inverclyde.
Later, the Unite union confirmed its members will take action at 26 councils.
The ones affected are: Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, City of Edinburgh, Clackmannanshire, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, Highland, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Lothian.
Unite’s members employed by Tayside Contracts have also voted in favour of industrial action which will result in schools in Perth and Kinross Council being impacted.
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£10 a week more
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 per 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.
“Our members are angry and scared, and the prospect of tens of thousands of council workers falling into the growing ranks of the working poor is not something GMB is prepared to leave unchallenged.”
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Talks on Friday
Johanna Baxter, UNISON head of local government said: “COSLA leaders meet on Friday and must put an improved offer on the table if we are to avoid large-scale disruption to council services across Scotland.
"Council workers south of the border yesterday were offered a flat rate uplift of £1925, 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. UNISON have been calling for a flat rate payment to help those on lower incomes. Most council workers earn less than £25k per year.
Council leaders blame the Scottish Government
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 the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (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. These are the same key workers we clapped for throughout the pandemic - they deserve fair pay not just platitudes.
"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 say the strike action is "deeply concerning".