Hopes that bin strikes could be called off following ‘improved’ pay offer
Cosla says the offer of a 4.27% overall rise is better than that made to local government workers in the rest of the UK.
Council leaders have said they hope impending strikes by waste and recycling workers across much of Scotland will be called off after an “improved” pay offer was made.
The offer came after a special meeting of Cosla on Friday where it was agreed that “additional funding” found by Scottish ministers would be used to negotiate with trade unions.
Cosla is requesting that strike action is suspended while the offer of an overall rise of 4.27% is considered by unions.
Cosla added that unions have been made aware of council leaders’ concerns that the additional funding may be at risk if strikes go ahead.
If the revised offer is not accepted, refuse workers from 26 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities will walk out for eight days from 5am on Wednesday August 14 to 4.59am on Thursday August 22.
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.
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.”
The new offer would see all local government workers receive a rise of least 3.6%, with the lowest-paid getting an extra 5.63% (£1,292).
This equates to an overall offer value of 4.27%, which Cosla said is better than that made to local government workers in the rest of the UK.
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 on Monday 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.”
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme earlier, Chris Mitchell, co-convener of GMB Scotland, said he was “hopeful” an improved offer could avert bin strikes from taking place.
However, he warned workers would not settle, saying the offer must be “credible” and be the region of 5%.
He told the radio programme: “I don’t think we’re holding anybody to ransom. We’ve been trying to negotiate since January.
“They have had plenty of time to sort this crisis out and they have waited until the last minute.”
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.”
