Coming to street near you... rubbish
RUBBISH piled high on the streets of Scotland’s capital yesterday – in squalid scenes that could soon be replicated around the country.
On the third day of a strike by refuse collectors in Edinburgh, bins overflowed to leave pavements strewn with rotting debris.
Council workers demanding a pay rise are still in talks with local authorities but if a deal is not agreed the strike will be expanded and other refuse collectors around Scotland will walk out this month.
The unions have rejected a 3.5 per cent raise. COSLA, which represents local authorities, has now upped the pay offer to 5 per cent but it is not known yet if this will be enough to end the proposed series of strikes.
Meanwhile, Scotland’s trains were hit by disruption again yesterday as ScotRail ran a skeleton service due to industrial action by RMT members.
The long-running dispute does not involve ScotRail staff. However, it still had a major knock-on effect on services as the RMT strike includes Network Rail workers in Scotland.
ScotRail operations director David Simpson said: ‘We know this will be frustrating for customers.’ Meanwhile, thousands of NHS staff could also strike over pay amid the cost of living crisis, with nurses and doctors saying they are willing to walk out.
BMA Scotland chairman Lewis Morrison said: ‘The status quo for doctors in Scotland is no longer acceptable.’