WORKERS have suspended a crippling eight-day bin strike across Scotland to consider a new pay offer — but unions have warned the Scottish government it is not enough.
The Scottish government stepped in on Thursday to put £77.5 million on the table to enable councils to raise their 3.2 per cent offer to 4.27 per cent.
The renewed offer was enough to see Unite, Unison and GMB suspend strike action and take the renewed offer to members as a “gesture of goodwill.”
Welcoming the pause in industrial action, First Minister John Swinney said: “All three unions have called off the planned industrial action, which is very welcome and they’re consulting with their members.
“That’s come about because of the intervention of the Scottish government.
“We thought it was important to avoid industrial action and to ensure that communities weren’t in any way damaged from the presence of industrial action.”
But he hinted at further cuts to services and warned the offer “will come with implications for the provision of Scottish government programmes and services.”
Announcing Unite’s suspension of action, lead negotiator for local government Graham McNab said: “We believe that the new pay offer is credible.
“For the first time in years, it will mean all council workers receiving an above-inflation increase.
“Unite will now suspend the eight days of strike action so a ballot can take place on the new offer.”
GMB’s Keir Greenaway said his union would suspend actions as a “gesture of goodwill,” but slammed the “absolute lack of urgency or sense of realism” in negotiations until now, adding “it should never have got to this stage.”
Unison Scotland, while joining in the suspension of action, will go a step further by urging members to reject the latest offer.
Arguing the deal was still far from done, their local government lead, David O’Connor, said: “Unison’s view is that it’s still not enough.
“Council staff have seen the value of their pay reduced by 25 per cent over the past 14 years and any pay deal needs to do more to reverse this.
“The union has been clear all along that the wage deal needs to work for everyone in local government.
“This pause will provide some breathing space for further dialogue.”
