Threat of fresh strikes

Council workers across Dumfries and Galloway are to be consulted on strike action.

Pay talks between the Unison union and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) have failed to yield a resolution, with union bosses saying the offer is“miles away”from what they are looking for.

And, if a formal written offer shows no signs of improvement, it will be rejected and the wheels for a strike ballot will be put in motion.

Unison’s local government committee chair, Colette Hunter, said: “Pay talks with Cosla have been cordial. But asking council workers to take a real terms wage cut once again is unacceptable.

“As things stand, employers are miles away from offering anything staff are likely to accept.

“It’s clear no lessons seem to have been learned from last year’s strikes over pay.

“An offer in writing is expected very soon, but there’s little hope that a strike consultation can be avoided.

“No one wants a repeat of last year’s disruption, but it’s been made abundantly clear that staff cannot wait for months to get a fair pay offer.”

Unison is looking for an above inflation pay increase as it aims for all local government employees to be paid at least £15 an hour by April 2026.

COSLA resources spokeswoman and Mid Galloway and Wigtown West councillor, Katie Hagmann, said:“For the last two Thursdays, we believed we had positive meetings with our Scottish Joint Council trade union colleagues to discuss this year’s pay offer for the Scottish local government workforce.

“We had another useful meeting only yesterday (Thursday), so it is disappointing that they have chosen to go public today, before all options have been explored.

“Learning from the last few years, we are keen to maintain a dialogue with our SJC trade unions partners, whilst we explore all avenues.

“We are close to making an offer, based on the mandate given to me by council leaders.

“Another meeting is being scheduled, as soon as possible, and we are doing all that we can to get an offer on the table.

“It is important to reiterate that this is against the context of a flat cash settlement from the Scottish Government, which leaves very little room to manoeuvre without service reductions and job losses which we want to avoid at all costs.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said:“Local government pay negotiations are a matter for unions and local authorities as the employers.

“Ministers recognise the crucial role councils and their employees play in communities across Scotland.

“That’s why, despite UK government cuts, this year, the Scottish government has made available over £14 billion to local councils – a real-terms increase of 2.5 per cent compared with the previous year.

“The Scottish Government urges all the parties involved to work together constructively to reach an agreement which is fair for the workforce and affordable for employers.”