UNISON, together with GMB and UNITE trade unions, have written to COSLA to say that they will be recommending members reject the pay offer.
The revised pay offer, made by COSLA on 6th September, was a 3% increase for all local government workers earning up to £80,000, but the trade unions are angry that this is below inflation and does not improve low pay.
Johanna Baxter, UNISON’s head of local government bargaining said: “UNISON’s campaigning has ended the local government pay cap. But the revised offer does little to address low pay. And it exacerbates a key concern of our members about fairness across the public sector. The Scottish Government has found an additional £25m for teachers pay, which will result in some teachers receiving pay increases of over 10%, however this offer has no additional money to address low pay in local government.”
Mark Ferguson, chair of UNISON Scotland’s local government committee said: “A decade of austerity has led to staffing shortages in key areas of local government like social care and school staff. And many of our members are relying on foodbanks to get by. The Government and COSLA must do more to address these issues and we would urge them to get back around the table with the trade unions.”
You can read the full letter containing the revised pay offer from COSLA here.
You can read the full letter from the joint trade unions to COSLA in response to the pay offer here.