Scottish local government workers ballot for action on pay

Jim McFarlane, Unison NEC member (personal capacity)

Local government workers in Scotland are to be balloted for industrial action after a revised pay deal was rejected. The employers organisation, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), had proposed a final pay offer of 3% for all those earning up to £80,000 a year and £1600 for those above that. The previous “first and final offer” was for 3% for those earning up to £36,500, 2% for those between £36,500 to £80,000 and £1600 for those above that.

The offer was discussed at UNISON’S recent Scottish Local Government Conference. Delegates from every branch were represented and it was unanimously agreed that the offer came nowhere near addressing the ten years of below inflation pay rises, along with cuts in jobs and services, over that period. UNISON’s low paid members in schools and care in particular have been campaigning hard for an increase that begins the process of winning back what they have lost in previous years and the revised offer had nothing for them.

Both the GMB and Unite have also indicated rejection and will be looking to ballot their members for action. The task now is for the unions at both a local and national level to raise the campaign amongst members that action is needed to win a fair deal.