Two unions suspend planned bin strikes so members can vote on new pay deal

Unite and the GMB announced the suspension of strike action, due to start on Wednesday, on Monday.

Previous strikes have caused rubbish to pile up in the streets (Lesley Martin/PA) (PA Archive)

Members of two trade unions will be balloted on a new offer for cleansing workers as the unions announced they will suspend planned strike action.

Staff represented by Unite and the GMB were due to walk out for more than a week from Wednesday, but a late offer from local authority body Cosla after the Scottish Government was able to offer extra funding.

The new offer – a 4.27% overall rise – will now be put to members of both unions, with bosses from Unison also discussing their response to the offer on Monday.

The deal is worth £1,292 for the lowest paid workers, while the Scottish local government living wage will also increase by 5.63%.

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

Graham McNab, Unison

Unite described the offer as “credible”, while GMB hailed it as a “significant improvement”.

The new terms came out of an emergency meeting of council leaders on Friday, after ministers said “additional funding” would be found for an improved pitch to workers.

Graham McNab, Unite’s lead negotiator for local government, said: “Unite members across all of Scotland’s councils should be applauded for standing firm.

“They have remained resolute in an effort to secure a fairer and better pay offer.

“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.”

Keir Greenaway, the senior organiser in public services for GMB Scotland said: “It is better than that offered to council staff in England and Wales, would mean every worker receives a rise higher than the Retail Price Index and, importantly, is weighted to ensure frontline workers gain most.

“As a gesture of goodwill, we will suspend action until our members can vote on the offer.”

But Mr Greenaway said it should “never have got to this stage”, accusing council leaders of an “absolute lack of urgency or sense of realism”.

“For months, we have been forced to waste time discussing a series of low-ball offers when it was already clear the Scottish Government needed to be at the table,” he added.

“The obvious reluctance of some council leaders to approach ministers has only caused needless uncertainty and threatened disruption.

“That is no way to run a railroad or conduct serious pay negotiations.”

The strikes had caused worry across the 26 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities which were slated to face action, especially with the Edinburgh Festival under way.

Recent years have seen rubbish piling up on the streets of the capital as unions and councils struggled to agree to terms.

Cosla and the Scottish Government have been contacted for comment.