LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SCHOOLS BALLOT IS NOW CLOSED. RESULTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AS SOON AS WE HAVE THEM.

Ballot Information

Despite our efforts we are at an impasse with COSLA. They have not improved their pay offer made in April, which UNISON members overwhelmingly rejected in a consultative ballot.

COSLA say they don’t have the cash to improve their offer but have said they will not approach Scottish Government for additional funding. It appears COSLA are waiting to see if we can beat the anti-trade union strike thresholds.

UNISON can beat the strike thresholds and secure a better offer – we did it last year and can do it again this year.

We will proceed with industrial action ballots in 2 waves, for select groups of members.

When was the last time you updated your contact details?

Please check to make sure we have your most up to date contact details.  Over the next few months want to keep you updated about strike ballots and industrial action that affect you. But to do this we need accurate information. All you need to do today is check that your details are correct, it will just take a minute. Update you details at My UNISON

Stirling, and Perth and Kinross waste workers

UNISON members working in waste and recycling services in Stirling, and Perth and Kinross have already voted to take industrial action and will be striking on behalf of all local government workers on 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th August.

Picket lines details are:

• Stirling – 10-13 August – Polmaise Waste Management Centre, Fallin, FK7 7FG from 6am-12noon.
• Perth & Kinross – 10 and 11 August – Friarton Depot, Friarton Road, Perth PH2 8DF from 07am-10.30am.

If you are nearby please stop by one of their picket lines to show your solidarity and support these workers on social media.

School staff across Scotland

Industrial action ballot papers for members working in schools will start to land from today.

If you are a member in this category please look out for your PURPLE ENVELOPE.

• Open it as soon as you receive it,
• vote immediately and
• post back as soon as possible.

We must receive your completed ballot paper by 10am on Friday 25th August.

If you don’t receive your ballot, have recently moved house or the dog eats it (it has happened!) and you need a new one please call our ballot helpline on 0800 0857 857 – they will be open from 7th to 21st August.

UNISON take responsibility to ensure that all industrial action is legally compliant so you are protected if you are on strike. We are the largest representative body of local government workers by far, which is why our ballot has started a little lat-er than our sister trade unions.

All local government workers in Scotland

Colleagues in waste and recycling services and schools will be taking action on behalf of all local government workers. They need your support and solidarity.

If you are passing a picket line please stop off to say hello, if you have a col-league working in a school please encourage them to complete and return their ballot paper and if you’re on social media please amplify our messages to reach as many people as possible.

UNISON Scotland local government committee will continue to review the situa-tion to see if other groups of members need to be added in additional waves of ballots and action. We will keep you updated.

If you have any queries about any of this please contact your local branch in the first instance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did we ask for?

 The claim was for:

• A settlement that runs for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
• An increase of 12% or £4,000 whichever is the greater to all spinal column points (based on a nominal 35 hour working week). This would equate to a £2.20 increase on the hourly rate.
• An underpinning minimum rate of pay of £15 per hour.
• An increase to the mileage rate to ensure parity with NHS colleagues.
• A no compulsory redundancy agreement.
• Completion of the review, established as part of our 2021 settlement, of professional fees (beyond the SSSC fees which are now paid for local government workers) incurred by members in the course of their employment
• Early completion of the review, established as part of our 2021 settlement, on how we achieve a no detriment reduction in the working week to enable members to achieve a better work-life balance.
• Agreement to change the national calculator for the normal working week to 35 hours.
• No less than parity with other local government bargaining groups.
• Early commencement of negotiations with a clear expectation of settlement implementation by 1 April review date.

Read full pay claim here:

Read full pay offer here:

What is the employer offering?

The employer has, to date, only tabled one offer – that was on the 3rd April 2023. You can read the full offer letter here. The offer is made up of two parts:

• a 5% full year increase on all Spinal Column Points (SCP) from 1 April 2023
• plus an additional, grade dependent, increase from 1 January 2024.

This additional amount would be:

• An additional £0.45 on SCP2 to SCP18 (annual full-time salary of circa £20,933) and the underpinning
• Scottish Local Government Living Wage rate. This will raise the SLGLW by £0.99 over the course of the financial year.
• An additional 2.5% on SCP19 to SCP43 (annual full-time salary of circa £28,862), with smoothing consisting of slightly higher uplifts applied to SCP19, 20, and 21.
• An additional 1.5% up on SCP44 to SCP64 (annual full-time salary of circa £38,585).
• An additional 1% on SCP 65 and above.

Posters and leaflets

Below are different sized campaign resources in CYMK for print. The colours may look off on your screen, but when you download and print – they should be fine . See further below for social media graphics  

 

 

Social media graphics