Pay talks continuing with council staff

Pay negotiations with Perth and Kinross Council staff are continuing.

Councillors have been told an agreement exceeding a three per cent increase would put pressure on PKC’s budget.

The negotiations were raised during a meeting of PKC’s strategic policy and resources committee on September 1.

The PA understands the negotiations are between COSLA (Convention of

Scottish Local Authorities), trade unions, the Scottish Government and non-teaching council staff.

The latest offer of a two per cent pay increase for staff earning less than £40,000 was rejected.

A report on PKC’s revenue budget for 2021/22 put before the council committee stated:“The outcome of the 2021/22 pay negotiations is not yet known.

“To the extent that the final agreement is in excess of the council’s budgeted increase of three per cent, this may place a further pressure on service budgets in both the current financial year and beyond.”

At Wednesday’s meeting Liberal Democrat councillor Willie Wilson asked for the latest update on the situation.

PKC’s chief operating officer Karen Donaldson said:“At this stage negotiations are continuing.

“A revised offer was made to the SJC trade unions a couple of weeks ago.

“That revised offer has not been accepted.

“And at this stage the trade unions on the SJC are taking different courses of action in order to take further advice from their membership.

“We do not have a date for resolution at this stage of the pay negotiations.”