Union rejects local government pay offer

COUNCIL employees across Scotland, including those in Shetland, are one step closer to taking industrial action after rejecting the latest local government pay offer.

Local government union Unison said after consulting its members in a ballot 88 per cent of members had voted to reject the pay offer while 74 per cent had voted in favour of taking some form of industrial action “up to and including strike action”.

Employers’ organisation CoSLA had offered:

• A flat rate increase of £800 for everybody earning less than £25,000, based on a 37 hour working week;
• A two per cent wage increase for those earning £25,000 to £40,000, and
• A one per cent wage increase for those earning up to £80,000 with a cap of £800.

Unison, representing 80,000 local government workers across Scotland, had called for a £2,000 flat rate increase, or six per cent, whichever is greater, for all council employees.

The union’s head of local government in Scotland Joanna Baxter said: “This is a massive rejection of an inadequate pay offer from CoSLA.

“Whilst the Scottish government and CoSLA have been quick to praise these workers for their efforts during the pandemic neither seem willing to take any action at all to recognise and reward them.

“It is about time they did and our members are clear that if an improved offer is not forthcoming they are prepared to take industrial action in order to achieve one.