Strikes paused as council workers vote on new pay offer

GMB Scotland today suspended looming industrial action across Scotland's local authorities after receiving a revised pay offer.

The union, one of the biggest in Scotland’s councils, paused eight days of strikes in waste and cleansing due to start on Wednesday to allow members to vote on the new terms.

GMB Scotland’s local government committee met this morning to discuss the offer from Cosla, representing Scots councils, involving a 3.6% increase for all grades with a rise of £1,292 for the lowest paid, equivalent to 5.6%.

Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland senior organiser in public services, said: “This offer is a significant improvement on what came before but our members will decide if it is acceptable.

“It is better than that offered to council staff in England and Wales, would mean every worker receives a rise higher than the Retail Price Index and, importantly, is weighted to ensure frontline workers gain most.

“As a gesture of goodwill, we will suspend action until our members can vote on the offer.

“It should never have got to this stage, however, and Scotland’s council leaders have again shown an absolute lack of urgency or sense of realism.

“For months, we have been forced to waste time discussing a series of low-ball offers when it was already clear the Scottish Government needed to be at the table.

“The obvious reluctance of some council leaders to approach ministers has only caused needless uncertainty and threatened disruption.

"That is no way to run a railroad or conduct serious pay negotiations.”

GMB members in waste and recycling were due to begin an eight-day strike at 5am on Wednesday with action ending at 4.59am on Thursday 22 August.

The action would have involved the following councils: Aberdeenshire; Aberdeen City; East Ayrshire; City of Edinburgh; East Dunbartonshire; Falkirk; Fife; Glasgow; Highland; Inverclyde; Midlothian; North Lanarkshire; Orkney Islands; Perth & Kinross; Renfrewshire; South Lanarkshire; Stirling; and West Lothian.

The action has now been suspended to allow a ballot of members with results expected early next month.