Katie Lee Arrowsmith via SWNSThe body representing Scotland’s 32 local authorities has asked the Scottish Government for more money to prevent strikes from waste workers over the summer.
COSLA leaders passed a Labour motion by 17-14 in favour of requesting that John Swinney make more money available to fund a better pay deal.
A majority of Scotland’s local authorities are set to face industrial action from refuse workers over the coming months after they rejected the latest pay offer.
The current deal amounts to a 3.2% increase for a one-year period between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025.
The COSLA amendment said the group would “agree with the trade unions to request a joint meeting with Scottish Government to seek additional funding for pay, concluding discussion on the possibility of a multi-year deal, and request on this basis, that the trade unions suspend any industrial action pending discussions with the Scottish Government”.
First Minister John Swinney was repeatedly asked by STV political editor Colin Mackay if he would personally intervene in the dispute to avoid industrial action but he would not say.
He said it was “ultimately” for COSLA and trade unions to resolve.
While he did not rule out an intervention, Swinney warned the Scottish Government “simply cannot conjure up money where it doesn’t exist”.
GMB, UNISON and Unite rejected the latest pay offer at the weekend, which COSLA described as “strong, fair and credible”.
STV NewsAll three unions have warned that unless an acceptable pay offer is forthcoming, their members will take industrial action which, they said, would see the country face a “stinking summer” with “mountains of rubbish” on the streets.
They said “no extra cash” has been added by COSLA and warned if the offer is not improved, refuse workers across Scotland could walk out, leaving bins unemptied in a repeat of rubbish chaos last seen two years ago.
An agreement was finally reached between unions and COSLA but only when then-first minister Nicola Sturgeon intervened.
‘John Swinney needs to step up and help solve this dispute’
GMB Scotland welcomed Cosla’s decision to approach the Scottish Government but said it should have been taken months ago.
The union had already written to the first minister calling on him to intervene in the escalating dispute and avert imminent industrial action.
Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland’s senior organiser in public services, said it had been “clear for some time” that councils did not have the “will or resource” to offer workers a fair deal, and that an “acceptable pay offer and an approach from the Scottish Government was the only route to a resolution”.
“Instead of making that approach,” Greenaway said, “finding an agreement and averting industrial action, council leaders have sat on their hands for months while our members are forced to wait for a pay offer that fairly recognises their work.
“If the Scottish Government does not come to the table urgently there will be no meaningful discussions, no route to a resolution and no chance of halting strike action.”
He said any offer to Scottish council workers must, as a minimum, match that offered by local authorities in England and Wales, which amounts to a 5.2% increase for workers earning around £25,000.
Unison Scotland’s lead for local government David O’Connor said: “The vast bulk of council funding comes from the Scottish government, and they are responsible for the council tax freeze, which prevents councils from raising further funds.
“So, we welcome COSLA leaders’ decision to request a joint meeting with the government. We have been calling for this to happen for months.”
Graham McNab, Unite industrial officer, said: “There remains a window of opportunity before any strike action takes place and we stand ready to enter negotiations at any time but we will not be suspending any action until that fair offer is on the table.”
The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.
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