Union bosses call on Sturgeon to intervene in council pay dispute

Union bosses have called on First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to intervene to settle a row over a controversial pay offer for council workers.

Pat Rafferty, Scottish secretary of the Unite trade union, said the offer made so far is “more like a slap in the face rather than a clap for local government workers”.

Unions representing local government workers are currently balloting their members to see if they would be willing to take industrial action.

Meanwhile, Mr Rafferty said the row over workers’ pay was “escalating”.

Unite is recommending members reject the offer, which would see council workers earning less than £25,000 get an £800 rise, while those earning £25,000 to £40,000 would get a 2% increase, with those making more than this awarded 1%.

More than half (55%) of local government workers earn less than £25,000 a year, Unite said, with around three-quarters (75%) on less than the UK national average wage of £32,875.

Mr Rafferty said: “Unite has requested the urgent intervention of the first minister.”

He contrasted the offer with that made to health staff, with the Scottish Government having offered many NHS employees a 4% rise on top of the £500 thankyou payment they received for their efforts during the pandemic.

Mr Rafferty said: “We are in the process of balloting members recommending a rejection of the paltry offer on the table.

“After a decade of local government being starved of funds to the tune of £1bn clearly far more needs to be done.”

A spokesman for local government body Cosla said: “We have made an offer to our trade union colleagues. This offer remains on the table whilst we continue with ongoing constructive negotiations.”

Nicola Sturgeon and Pat Rafferty, of Unite.