Unions hopeful for new pay offer as bin strikes loom

Unions are hopeful they will get a new pay offer to try to stop next week’s bin strikes.

Council leaders from across Scotland are due to discuss the pay dispute later.

Bin workers and recycling staff at the three main council unions are due to start a programme of strikes from 14 – 22 August affecting most of the country.

Unions rejected the most recent pay offer of a 3.2% rise backdated to April, but on Thursday night Finance Secretary Shona Robison said the Scottish government had found more money for a “strong offer”.

Of Scotland’s 32 council areas, 26 are affected by the plans. The dispute is over pay for all council workers except teachers.

Although the most recent pay offer is greater than the current rate of inflation, unions argue this is insufficient to deal with the rising cost of living in the previous 12 months.

Council leaders will discuss the situation in an online meeting on Friday and unions hope to receive a new pay offer by the end of the day.

Discussions took place on Wednesday involving the Scottish government, council body Cosla and the unions.

After the unions get a new offer they will each decide on their response – but this may not be until Monday.

Three major council unions are planning a programme of action – Unison, Unite and the GMB.

Ms Robison said the Scottish government recognised the importance of supporting “meaningful dialogue” to reach a fair pay deal and avoid industrial action.

“That is why I asked my officials to work at pace with local government officers to understand what an improved negotiating envelope may look like,” she said.

“All parties, including Cosla, trade union leaders and political group leaders have engaged constructively with that process.

“Against an extremely challenging financial landscape, the Scottish government has identified additional funding to support Cosla to make a strong offer.”

She said the enhanced deal was the “absolute limit of affordability” and had required “difficult decision-making”.

Ms Robison added: “I hope Scotland’s council leaders can agree a way forward when they meet that will help to avert strike action starting next week, with a revised offer being made to local government union members and accepted as soon as possible.”

Cosla’s resources spokespeople Councillor Katie Hagmann said “We have worked quickly and constructively with Scottish government to increase the funding available.

“The identification of this additional resource has been extremely challenging given the current financial context and has meant tough decisions in some key policy areas.

“We hope that an acceptable revised offer can be made as soon as possible.”

If a fresh pay offer is not tabled by Monday, there would seem to be little prospect of calling off the strikes.

Parts of Scotland could see a repeat of scenes from the summer of 2022, when a strike among refuse workers in Edinburgh spread to other parts of the country.

The industrial action was only resolved when former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon stepped in.

If a new offer is tabled, unions would want to look at it closely before deciding on their course of action.

They would also ensure that any decision to cancel action was communicated properly to their members.