Swinney in £140m bid to stave off ruinous bin strike threat

‘Had enough of the politicking’

JOHN Swinney last night tried to avoid a damaging bin strike by pledging £140million towards an improved pay offer to council workers.

The Deputy First Minister announced the cash boost to council umbrella body Cosla after a second day of crisis talks.

Union bosses have demanded a significant improvement on the ‘paltry’ 2 per cent pay offer they rejected back in March as the only way to break the deadlock and call off strike action.

The GMB, Unite and Unison unions say rubbish would be left to ‘pile high’ in Edinburgh during 13 days from August 18, in the middle of the International Festival.

Bosses have threatened to escalate the dispute to other cities such as Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen. The return of schools could also be affected, with staff including cooks, cleaners and teaching assistants expected to join the dispute unless an acceptable pay offer is made.

Mr Swinney made a last-ditch attempt to stave off strike action last night by committing more cash to Cosla.

He said the decision to increase Cosla’s budget ‘will have a significant impact upon our fixed budget that ministers are taking steps to address’ but insisted it will ‘allow local authorities to make a significantly enhanced pay offer’.

But union leaders said the ‘procrastination’ by Cosla and the Scottish Government was ‘shameful’.

Unite industrial officer Wendy Dunsmore said: ‘Our members have been strung along and they have had enough of the politicking. If strike action does occur in a matter of days then it will be entirely the fault of Cosla and the Scottish Government.’

Scottish Labour’s local government spokesman Mark Griffin said: ‘The Scottish Government must get round the table with Cosla and the trade unions to agree a deal that does right by councils and local services.’