Strike threat now looming

Council services could be disrupted after a union began preparing for industrial action saying staff “won’t be used as a political football”.

UNISON, the largest trade union in Scotland’s councils, are beginning preparations for a formal industrial action ballot of their members over pay.

And, with 80,000 local government members across Scotland part of the union, that could have a real impact on services delivered by North Lanarkshire Council.

The move f ollows a breakdown in negotiations with l ocal government body COSLA last week after UNISON members voted overwhelmingly to reject the current pay offer in favour of taking some form of industrial action in pursuit of an improved offer.

Mark Ferguson from the union told the Wishaw Press : “It is unacceptable for our members to be used as a political football in a Holyrood election.

“Our pay claim was submitted in December and the pay implementation date has come and gone. COSLA could and should have resolved this before now.”

COSLA leaders met at the end of April and were expected to take a decision on an improved pay offer.

Instead they opted to wait until after the Holyrood elections after which they intend to lobby the new Scottish Government for increased funding for local authorities.

Johanna Baxter, UNISON S cotland’s head of local government, said: “Our members cannot take an industrial dispute with the Scottish Government because they do not employ them.

“COSLA is the employer and their failure to improve the current inadequate offer simply indicates they are intent on forcing that industrial dispute with a workforce that has spent the last 12 months working flat out on the frontline.”

The pay deal offers all council workers earning less than £25,000 an £800 rise, while those on £25,000 to £40,000 would get a two per cent increase, and workers paid above that would be awarded one per cent.

A COSLA spokeswoman said: “We have made an offer to our trade union colleagues. This offer remains on the table while we continue with ongoing constructive negotiations.”