SCOTS were last night warned to expect an autumn of disruption and strike action after council leaders refused to increase a 2.5 per cent pay offer.
Unions representing about 150,000 council staff said they would call a series of strikes over the next few weeks in response to the "failure" of Cosla, the local government employers' organisation, to table a better offer.
The unions involved, Uni
son, Unite and the GMB, have already taken one day's strike, closing schools, leaving rubbish uncollected and disrupting ferry services for a day last month.
They did return to the negotiating table with Cosla after that strike, but talks broke down yesterday afternoon when Cosla made it clear there was no money for an increased pay offer.
Michael Cook, for Cosla, said: "The problem for us is that whilst we do sympathise with our workforce and the monetary pressures they are facing, we have a major difficulty because we are facing exactly the same pressures on budgets across the board."
Mr Cook said there would have been cuts in services had Cosla found the money for a bigger pay deal.
"We fully recognise this will be disappointing for the unions but taking this need for balance into account, it (2.5 per cent] is an appropriate offer," he said. Mr Cook said Cosla was willing to discuss the issue with the Scottish Government, but added: "We appreciate that, like us, they have no more money available."
Jimmy Farrelly, from the Unite union, said there would be further strikes.
He said: "This is a total misjudgment of local government workers' commitment to fight for a decent living wage.
"We are extremely disappointed with their decision which will lead to an escalation of strike action."
Mr Farrelly said the three unions involved – Unite, the GMB and Unison – would meet in the next week to co-ordinate further strike dates.
Stephanie Herd, from Unison, said: "Further action is now inevitable. Many of our members are amongst the lowest paid in the public sector and to give indications that the offer would be improved and then subsequently not will simply strengthen their resolve in pursuing a better offer."
Alex McLuckie, from the GMB, said he was "more angry than disappointed", adding that he believed his members would support further action.
The dispute is over the offer of 2.5 per cent for each of the next three years which Cosla has offered to the unions.
It is understood that Cosla did agree to make this a one-year, rather than a three-year deal, but that would still mean just 2.5 per cent for this year with later years to be decided in the future.
The unions argued that this was no better than the original offer on the table and refused to accept it.
Alex Salmond, the First Minister, has made it clear he believes increasing public-sector wage inflation will only deepen the economic slowdown.
However, John Swinney, the finance secretary, has remained neutral on the issue, merely appealing to both sides to negotiate, but otherwise not getting involved.
BACKGROUNDTHE local government pay dispute has become a central issue in the Scottish Labour leadership contest.
Two of the three contenders, Cathy Jamieson (who is supported by Unison) and Iain Gray (who has the backing of Unite) have given public support to the strikers.
Mr Gray appealed for the Scottish Government to intervene last night, saying he did not believe 2.5 per cent was fair.
Andy Kerr, the other leadership contender, has not come out in support of the strike action.
The full article contains 607 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
