Thousands of council workers across Scotland involved in waste collection, recycling and street cleaning services are to be balloted on strike action in an ongoing dispute over pay.
Unison, Scotland’s largest trade union, has warned mass walkouts could begin across the country in August if a majority of staff back industrial action.
The union has described the latest pay offer from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) as “inadequate” and 91% of workers consulted over the offer earlier this year voted to reject it.
The two-stage offer lasting 18 months would have seen staff receive a 2.2% increase for the first six months of the deal and an extra 2% for the next 12 months.
Union leaders called for an above-inflation pay increase for local government workers as the union submitted its 2024/25 pay claim and argued the latest Cosla offer “does nothing” to address a fall in the value of wages over the last 14 years.
Striking is always a last resort, but workers deserve to be paid wages reflecting their essential roles. They’re determined to achieve just that
Unison Scotland local government committee chair Colette Hunter said: “It’s disappointing that it’s come to a strike ballot. But Cosla has refused to either improve its pay offer or join unions in their call to meet the Scottish Government to discuss additional funding.
“Striking is always a last resort, but workers deserve to be paid wages reflecting their essential roles. They’re determined to achieve just that.”
Unison Scotland lead for local government David O’Connor said: “Cosla’s proposal falls short of Unison’s pay claim. It’s also less than the offer made to the lowest-paid local government staff south of the border.
“It does nothing to address the impact of below-inflation pay settlements that have reduced the value of staff wages by a quarter over the past 14 years. Scotland’s council workers deserve much better.”
The industrial action ballot will continue until Wednesday July 17.
Cosla and the Scottish Government have been approached for comment.
