Pay rises are unfair
Leader slams disparity
The council leader has accused the Scottish Government of pitting public sector workers against each other.
Jim Logue hit out at Finance Secretary Derek Mackay after the Holyrood Government refused to replicate the pay rise offered to teaching staff for all other local government staff during recent discussions with COSLA.
The Scottish Government has offered a three per cent pay rise to teachers for 2018/19 but have not matched the offer for other council employees, who have been offered just two per cent.
UNISON have already said that their local government workers will not accept the pay rise, believing that the offer does very little for the lowest paid workers like care workers and support for learning assistants.
Councillor Logue said: “It is quite clear that that Derek Mackay and this SNP Government value some jobs more than others.
“Whilst it is about time that our hard- working teaching staff received a decent pay rise, it is disgraceful that other hard-working employees in councils like North Lanarkshire are not being treated with the same value and importance with a similar offer.
“With this offer, councils will be forced to make up the difference to ensure that all of our employees receive an equal pay rise, which would cost £600,000 in North Lanarkshire alone and comes at a time when it is anticipated that we will have to find a further £ 20 million of savings as a result of the SNP Government’s austerity agenda for local councils.
“With UNISON already saying they will not accept this latest offer, councils face even greater financial challenges in ensuring that lower-paid workers are not penalised by this SNP Government.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Teachers’ pay is a matter for the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) and negotiations for 2018/19 are now well under way and making progress.”