Union to ballot 90,000 local government workers in pay dispute

More than 90,000 council and school workers in Scotland will be balloted for strike action in a pay dispute, a union has said.

Unison has rejected the latest pay offer from local government umbrella body Cosla of an hourly increase of 67p or 3.6%, whichever is higher.

On Friday, council leaders voted to impose the deal despite Unison’s opposition, saying GMB and Unite members have accepted it.

Council leaders argue the deal is “at the absolute limit of affordability” given the tight financial situation.

Unison Scotland’s local government lead David O’Connor said: “To say this is a bitter disappointment is an understatement.

“Just two days ago, Cosla’s lead negotiator councillor Katie Hagmann and the Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Finance Shona Robison MSP assured the union they were committed to a negotiated settlement.

“Now, they’ve resorted to some of the worst employment practices by imposing this deal.

“They should be utterly ashamed of themselves.

“It’s both upsetting and infuriating to see that they’re once again so undervalued.

“Politicians have enjoyed pay rises upwards of 6.7%, but they’re telling dedicated workers to limit their expectations.”

Cosla’s resource spokeswoman Ms Hagmann said: “(The offer) is at the absolute limit of affordability in the extremely challenging financial context we face.

“The offer is worth 4.27% across the workforce and is aligned to the pay award for teaching staff, which has been agreed with the teachers’ panel.

“Importantly, over 75% of the SJC (Scottish joint council) workforce will receive an uplift above 3.6% – with up to 5.63% for the lowest paid at the request of all trade unions.

“We have engaged in constructive dialogue with our trade union partners throughout our pay negotiations.

“This offer, which has been accepted by GMB and Unite members, meets the collective requests of all the SJC unions which was made in a joint letter to council leaders on July 31.

“This does not mean that discussions will end.

“Cosla remains fully committed to the negotiation process and we will continue dialogue with all our trade union partners, with the ambition reach a collective agreement, if at all possible.”

Finance Secretary Ms Robison said: “The decision made by council leaders to implement the local government pay offer will halt any further delays and get pay in the pockets of valued workers – including those who need it most – before Christmas.

“While this Government fully respects the decision by Unison members to reject the offer, no-one’s interests will be served by industrial action.

“I hope that Unison members recognise the strength of this offer which has already been accepted by GMB and Unite.

“The pay offer is better than that made to local government workers in the rest of the UK.

“It will see the lowest-paid workers, including Unison members, receive a 5.63% pay increase and most local government workers receive more than 4%.

“This delivers what GMB, Unite and Unison asked for from councils at the end of July.

“The Scottish Government has provided £77.5 million to support this offer and I confirmed to Cosla and unions when we met that we have utilised all available funding to support local government pay.

“Although the Scottish Government has no formal role in these negotiations, I know that Cosla remains committed to the negotiation process with an ambition to reach a collective agreement with all three unions if possible.”