Many council workers ‘have to use foodbanks’
Union chief’s claim as battle over staff pay goes on
Council workers are at the centre of a tug of war over pay between a trade union and a local government body.
Unison members have been urged to reject a recently revised pay offer made by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) in a consultative ballot, which will run until November 7.
The trade union claimed workers deserve a “decent pay rise” - similar to that given to teachers in recent times.
Johanna Baxter, Unison’s head of local government, said: “Whilst we welcome any improvement to the original offer, the revised offer falls short of addressing the serious issues of local pay across local government.
“It is disappointing that the employer chose not to engage the trade unions in meaningful negotiations before delivering their revised pay offer.
“Local government staff deliver vital services educating children, caring for vulnerable people, cleaning and protecting our communities, and much more, serving the people of Scotland.
“They are no less deserving of a decent pay increase than teachers.”
Renfrewshire branch secretary for Unison, Mark Ferguson, said: “A decade of austerity has led to staffing shortages in key areas of local government like social care and school staff.
“Many of our members are relying on foodbanks to get by.
“Cosla must do more to address these issues and we would urge them to get back around the table with the trade unions.”
Meanwhile, Gail Macgregor, a spokeswoman for Cosla, hit out at Unison for encouraging their membership to reject “a very fair offer” of three percent in a oneyear deal, backdated to April.
She added: “From a personal perspective I am also disappointed that with various ballots now underway and more on the horizon that my own priority of getting the backdated pay rise into the pay packets of our workforce looks unlikely to happen anytime soon.
“That is a real shame but is still my focus and something I am keen to deliver on as soon as this deal is agreed.
“This is not a two tier deal – we are clear that there has to be parity across the whole of our workforce and that is why the three per cent figure has been offered to all groups.
“I do not like going over the heads of the trade unions but feel that in response to this I am left with little choice but to appeal directly to the workforce.
“The offer on the table for the workforce is the best in the public sector in Scotland and we would urge employees to recognise this and vote to accept the deal and with a bit of luck we can have it in the pay packets of our workforce for Christmas.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Government recognised the contribution of local government staff but confirmed it was not part of pay negotiations.