Scottish council workers heading for strike action

Jim McFarlane Dundee City UNISON branch secretary (personal capacity)

Three local government trade unions in Scotland, UNISON, Unite and GMB, are currently balloting for industrial action over pay.

The long awaited offer from the employers, CoSLA, fell well short of the trade union pay claim. The claim was for a one-year settlement that runs for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

• For those on the lowest pay – an above-inflation increase in line with the aspiration, agreed in November 2023, to achieve implementation of a minimum rate of pay for all local government workers of £15 per hour by 1 April 26.
• An increase of 7% to all spinal column points (or an increase of £1.60 to the hourly rate whichever is greater) and related allowances.
• Urgent progress to be made on how to achieve a no detriment reduction in the working week

The employers once again delayed in even making an offer before the April settlement date. They then presented a

• 2.2% rise for six months – from 1st April until 30th September 2024.
• Change pay implementation date for future years – meaning future pay settlements would run from October to September.
• A further 2% for 12 months – from 1st October 2024

This falls well short of what local government workers need to even match rising living costs. Council workers’ pay has been consistently cut in real terms for over a decade while other costs such as housing, food, fuel and energy have all rocketed, making massive profits for tiny number of shareholders.

The strategy developed so far is for targeted strike action. The first wave would be workers in waste and refuse taking strike action. There are already majorities for strike action in a number of councils among this group of workers.

Across Scotland that could mean severe disruption to the collection of bins as seen two years ago, possibly in August.

The second wave would involve all members in schools and early years taking strike action. The magnificent strike action taken last September was an indicator of the effectiveness of action by this section of the workforce.

The third wave would then be action taken by some parts of the social care workforce.

coordination and escalation

All those potentially involved show the key role council workers play in society. The trade unions need to co-ordinate the targeted action across the different sectors and trade unions to make sure it is effective as possible.

Plans also need to be put in place to escalate the action if necessary to the whole council workforce.

Politicians from all the main parties have been guilty of passing on cuts. None of them have been prepared to stand on the side of their workers and communities.

The Scottish government needs to intervene and provide the much needed funds for a decent pay rise. The trade unions should also be putting demands on the new Starmer-led Labour government at Westminster to provide extra funding as well abolishing all the anti-trade union laws introduced by the Tories back to Thatcher.

Industrial action taken over the last few years has shown that workers have had enough of pay cuts as well as other attacks on terms and conditions along with service cuts.

Strike action taken previously did not result in a full pay restoration, however it did force the government to release extra funding despite repeatedly saying they had no more money available.

Millions of pounds extra was won by taking strike action. An effective trade union leadership at a local and national level armed with a fighting strategy of action can turn the tide. The anger is there.