Strike threats from UNISON have won an improved £48m pay offer from COSLA. The union have suspended strikes across Scotland while they consult UNISON members.
The offer comes after UNISON had threatened to call out school cleaners, school caterers, school janitors, waste, recycling and fleet maintenance service workers or 5 days of strike action in councils across Scotland. As part of escalating action.
The COLSA offer was made today, it includes £30m extra funds from the Scottish government and £18.5m made available from Scottish councils. UNISON has agreed to suspend strikes and consult its members on whether to accept this offer.
Johanna Baxter UNISON Scotland head of local government said: “This improved pay offer rightly puts more money into the pockets of those on the lowest pay – it is just disappointing that UNISON members had to threaten to go on strike for their employer to recognise their worth.
We will now consult our members on this offer and UNISON will continue to lead the fight to improve the terms and conditions of these workers in the forthcoming negotiations for the 2022 pay review.”
Mark Ferguson, Chair of UNISON Scotland Local Government Committee said: “It has taken 10 months and the threat of strike action for COSLA and the Scottish Government to recognise the vital role of local government workers. We have said all along that the Scottish government needed to step up to the plate.
Local government needs a new deal, we need to invest in local services and those who work in local government need their value properly recognise in the years to come.”
Full details are available on the UNISON Scotland website