Scotland’s Bin Strike Suspended as Unions Mull New Pay Offer

Labor groups halt upcoming garbage collection strikes in Scotland following a revised salary proposal

Members from Unison, Unite, and GMB across 26 of Scotland's 32 local councils had scheduled a strike from August 14 to August 22. However, they will now vote on a new proposal from COSLA.

Scotland correspondent @Jenster13

Monday, August 12, 2024, 5:

The scheduled strike by municipal garbage and street cleaning staff throughout much of Scotland has been put on hold.

Members of Unison, Unite, and GMB across 26 out of Scotland's 32 council regions were scheduled to strike from August 14 to August 22, following the rejection of two prior proposals from the local government organization COSLA.

The labor organizations have decided to suspend their strike activities while they conduct a vote among their members regarding a new salary agreement. This deal proposes a 3.6% raise for all employees, with the minimum wage earners receiving an additional 5.63% increase, amounting to £1,292.

COSLA stated that this represents a total offer value of 4.27%, which is reportedly higher than what local government employees elsewhere in the UK have received.

Unison states salary proposal 'insufficient'

Unison is advising employees across 13 council regions and at a waste management company operated at arm's length to decline the proposed offer.

David O'Connor, who heads Unison Scotland's local government sector, stated: "In Unison's opinion, it remains insufficient."

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"Over the last 14 years, council employees have experienced a 25% decrease in the purchasing power of their wages, and any forthcoming salary agreement must address this significant erosion.

"The union has consistently emphasized that the salary agreement must benefit all local government employees. This break will offer a chance for additional discussions."

The fresh proposal was presented on Friday following assurances from the Scottish government to provide additional funding needed to meet the expenses.

Finance and Local Government Secretary Shona Robison cautioned that the current financial commitment was at the "utmost threshold of affordability" and mentioned that the government would need to "redirect funds from other parts of the budget, resulting in decreased allocations for various programs."

Unite considers the proposal 'plausible'

Unite announced that its voting process, which includes members across 18 council regions, will commence on Thursday and conclude on September 5.

Graham McNab, the chief negotiator for Unite in local government, stated: "Unite members throughout all Scottish councils deserve praise for their steadfastness. They have stood firm in their quest to achieve a fairer and improved pay proposal.

"We are confident that the latest salary proposal is substantial. For the first time in a long while, it ensures that every council employee will receive a raise that exceeds the rate of inflation."

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In 2022, a comparable disagreement led to an accumulation of garbage on the streets of Edinburgh, Scotland, coinciding with the city's bustling festival period.

The situation was resolved when the Scottish government allocated additional funding to local councils for employee salaries.

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GMB states the proposal is a 'notable enhancement'

GMB has not yet announced the specific dates for its vote, which will include members from 18 council regions. However, it is expected that the voting period will span three weeks and conclude in September.

Keir Greenaway, a senior organizer for GMB Scotland in public services, described the proposal as a "significant improvement," yet emphasized that the situation "should never have reached this point."

He stated: "The leaders of Scotland's councils continue to display a complete disregard for urgency or any realistic perspective.

"For a considerable period, we've been compelled to squander time deliberating over a number of inadequate proposals, despite the evident necessity for the Scottish government's involvement in these discussions."

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The government of Scotland announced that it allocated £77.5 million to support the most recent proposal.

Finance Secretary Ms. Robison stated, "We are shouldering considerable extra financial burdens and have openly acknowledged that difficult decisions were necessary to finance this salary agreement."

"The proposal includes a pay raise that exceeds the rate of inflation for everyone, with additional assistance for those who earn the least."

"I am glad that it has been passed to the employees for their detailed review, and I encourage everyone to carefully evaluate this greatly enhanced proposal."

COSLA was reached out to for a statement.

Municipal zones

• GMB: The regions covered include Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, East Ayrshire, the City of Edinburgh, East Dunbartonshire, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, the Highland region, Inverclyde, Midlothian, North Lanarkshire, the Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, and West Lothian.

• Collective: The regions encompassed are Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, East Lothian, Fife, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, Midlothian, North Lanarkshire, Perth and Kinross, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, and West Lothian. Additionally, Cireco, a separate entity specializing in waste management, is part of this group.

• Consolidate: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, City of Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, and West Lothian.

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