Scottish Council Workers Vote for Strike Action Over Low Pay Offer

Members of GMB Scotland, one of the largest unions in local government, have overwhelmingly voted in favor of holding a formal vote on strikes if the upcoming council pay offer is not deemed credible. The union says 97% of its members voted in favor of the motion. The union has warned that the current offer of less than 3% is unacceptable, especially when compared to the 6% pay increase given to MSPs. Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland’s senior organizer in public services, said: “Our members will rightly be asking why our politicians believe they deserve a rise of more than 6% while council workers delivering vital frontline services do not. The hypocrisy would be staggering if it was not so entirely predictable. Without joint talks right now, without funding for a fair, negotiated pay award, industrial action in our local authorities will be inevitable.” Greenaway expressed disappointment that council leaders have not learned from last year’s mistakes and are failing to act with urgency. He said GMB members are prepared to strike if the offer is unacceptable. GMB Scotland has members across all areas of council workforces, including many in frontline roles such as care and cleansing services. 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% 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.” A spokesperson for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities said: “Council leaders will meet this Friday, April 26, to consider a report on the Scottish Joint Council pay claims for 2024/25.”