Yahoo News Dumfries and Galloway waste workers vote for strike action over pay dispute
Rubbish could pile up in the streets of the Stewartry after council workers voted to strike.
Workers in the Unite union – including bin men and street cleaners – are set to down tools after rejecting a pay offer from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).
Dates for walkouts have yet to be announced but are likely to take place within weeks.
Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “After years of cuts to council pay and services, years of chronic underfunding and understaffing, our membership is saying no more. Enough.
“They have Unite’s unequivocal support in the fight for better jobs, pay and conditions across Scottish local government.”
Unite officials say the COSLA offer equates to a 2.2 per cent increase backdated to April, with a further two per cent from October 1. They also claim COSLA wants to change the pay anniversary date from April.
That bid was rejected in May and now members in 16 council areas – including Dumfries and Galloway – have voted to strike.
That means waste workers, street cleaners and staff in recycling centres are set to stage walkouts – potentially as early as a fortnight’s time.
A strike was threatened in 2022 before the situation was resolved.
Unite industrial officer, Graham McNab, said: “Thousands of workers in cleansing and waste services are now on the brink of taking strike action in a matter of weeks. Our members are being left with no choice but to fight for fair pay.”
“Council workers deserve to be treated with respect but instead they received a pitiful pay offer which was rejected outright by Unite. This situation is entirely in the hands of COSLA and the Scottish government who can resolve this dispute at any moment by making a significantly improved pay offer.”
Waste workers in GMB Scotland in several council areas – although not Dumfries and Galloway – are also set to strike over the dispute,
A COSLA spokesperson said: “COSLA has made a strong offer at the limits of affordability for councils, a position reiterated by council leaders at their meeting last Friday.
“In the context of lowering inflation and a ‘flat cash’ budget settlement from Scottish Government, it remains important to reward our valued workforce appropriately. We urge our unions to reconsider their decision to reject the offer.
“We are disappointed that industrial action is now being planned by some of our trade unions in some council areas and concerned that it is to be targeted at waste services, once again raising potential public health risks.
“We respect our unions’ role in seeking to obtain the best pay settlement they can for their members. We reiterate that we remain committed to doing the best by our workforce who deliver essential local services in every community across Scotland.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson added: “Local government pay negotiations are a matter for local authorities as employers and unions – the Scottish Government has no formal role.
“The Scottish Government urges all parties involved to work together constructively and reach an agreement which is fair for the workforce and affordable for employers.”
He added: “Currently, we expect that no other council services will be affected by this potential strike action, and we are actively looking at contingency plans to minimise any disruption.”
