New pay supply tabled in hope of avoiding bin strikes

Council leaders have made a brand new pay supply in a bid to keep away from strike motion by waste employees.

Staff in 26 of Scotland’s 32 council areas plan to stroll out from 14 – 22 August after rejecting two earlier wage will increase by native authorities physique Cosla.

Cosla mentioned additional funding from the Scottish authorities meant it was now capable of supply a 3.6% improve for all grades, with an increase of £1,292 for the bottom paid, equal to five.63%.

The GMB, Unison and Unite unions will now take into account the supply and announce on Monday if the deliberate strikes can be known as off.

Cosla’s assets spokesperson Katie Hagmann mentioned: “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 unions had rejected the previous offers, saying they were insufficient to deal with the rising cost of living, despite them being above the rate of inflation.

Workers had been offered a 3.2% rise, backdated to April.

However, Finance Secretary Shona Robison said more money for a “strong offer” had been found on Thursday.

Unison’s head of local government in Scotland, David O’Connor, said it was frustrating that talks had again gone to the wire before strike action was due to take place.

He mentioned: “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.”

GMB Scotland confirmed a revised offer from Cosla had been received at 16:30 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 would be taken by members, adding: “Our native authorities committee will meet to debate the element of the revised supply on Monday and, whether it is doubtlessly acceptable, will droop our industrial motion and poll our members.”

Council unions will give serious consideration to the new pay offer and decide whether to suspend next week’s bin strikes on Monday.

But will it be enough?

Councils argue the new offer is as good as it gets. It was made possible after the Scottish government provided some additional funding.

Unions will consider the details of the offer carefully – it means an improved rise or all council workers with a greater rise for the lowest paid.

One question is whether unions think there is any realistic possibility of a further improvement if strike action, now or in the future, goes ahead.

They may decide to suspend next week’s action as a token of goodwill while they consult their members on the offer.

But they will also be aware that the threat of another bin strike during the Edinburgh Festival was a very powerful weapon.

There will be a lot for the unions to weigh up over the weekend before they reach their decisions.

The Scottish government said it recognised the importance of supporting “significant dialogue” to reach a pay deal and avoid industrial action.

Mrs Robison said: “I asked my officials to work at pace with local government officers to understand what an improved negotiating envelope may look like.

“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 mentioned the improved deal was the “absolute limit of affordability” and had required “difficult decision-making”.

Ms Robison added: “I welcome that Scotland’s council leaders have made a strong offer and we await the outcome of local government union considerations.”

The strikes are unlikely to be averted if the unions flip down one other deal.

That would imply elements of Scotland may see a repeat of scenes from the summer time of 2022, when a strike amongst refuse employees in Edinburgh unfold elsewhere within the nation.

It result in streets within the capital being affected by garbage as lots of of 1000’s of tourists descended on the town for the August competition season.

Public Health Scotland was compelled to declare a well being warning on account of an accumulation of waste in city areas.

It was finally resolved in early September, however solely after an intervention from then-first minister Nicola Sturgeon.