Council workers set to receive pay boost

Following a wave of strike action by refuse workers across most of Scotland’s councils, a new offer by the COSLA Scottish local government employers’ organisation is being recommended to members of the UNISON, GMB and Unite unions. 


Strikes by Unite members hit all waste services in the majority of councils across Scotland following COSLA’s initial 2% offer. 


The bin workers were set to be joined by workers in schools and nurseries when COSLA retreated.


The latest — and fifth — offer would see those earning up to £20,500 receive a flat uplift of £2,000, an increase of between 10% and 11% for the lowest paid. And there is a £1,925 flat uplift for those on up to £39,000. The rises would be fully consolidated into pay for 2022-23 and beyond.


A Scotland Demands a Pay Rise rally of the Scottish Parliament on the morning of 8 September saw a turnout of around 3,000 trade unionists and others. 


In a briefing released before the rally, the Scottish TUC pointed to the fact that 55% of local government employees earn less than £25,000 and that the latest COSLA offer will particularly benefit lower-paid workers in local government. 


It added that there now need to be improved deals to other public sector workers “if further industrial action is to be avoided”.