GMB Scotland: Council workers must now get their money urgently

GMB Scotland welcomed the pay rise for council workers announced today but warned the money must be paid urgently.

The union, which has 21,000 members working in local authorities, suspended strike action to allow members to vote on the offer from Cosla, representing Scotland’s councils.

Half of local authority workers earn less than £25,000 and GMB Scotland had successfully called for the offer to be weighted towards the lowest paid and backdated to April.

The deal announced today means higher earners will now also have the rise fully backdated.

Keir Greenaway, the union’s senior organiser in public services, said it was wrong the new money added to the offer by Cosla today will not mean any more for the lowest paid.

He said: “It is welcome that our members will get the offer they voted for but this process has dragged on far too long.

“Our members accepted an offer that prioritised the lowest paid and should not have to wait any longer to receive their money. It must be with them before Christmas.

“We also welcome a renewed commitment to deliver a minimum wage of £15 an hour but ambitions and aspirations don’t pay bills.

“There is no reason to celebrate until our members get that wage instead of being promised it.

“Meanwhile, in the here and now, not one penny of all the extra millions suddenly found to add to this offer will go to workers earning less than £25,000. That does not seem right or fair.”