Trade union in Scotland suspends bin strikes after members accept pay offer

A trade union in Scotland has scrapped plans for refuse workers to strike after members accepted a new offer.

GMB Scotland said 78% of members voted to accept the offer from Cosla, which will see a minimum increase of 3.6% for staff.

Unite the union and Unison also announced they would suspend planned strikes to ballot members on the new offer, but are yet to announce a decision, with Unison recommending members reject the offer.

Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland’s senior organiser for public services, was critical of the Scottish Government and local authorities.

“Council leaders’ lack of urgency and stubborn refusal to ask the Scottish Government for support meant negotiations and uncertainty went on far longer than necessary,” he said.

“It should not take imminent strike action to deliver a fair offer but, while it came too late, the deal was above inflation for all staff and weighted to benefit frontline workers most.

“That was what the unions had asked for and, given that, it is no surprise our members accepted it.”

The threat of strike action came at a moment of economic strife for the Scottish Government and the UK Government, with Scotland’s Finance Secretary Shona Robison putting spending controls in place.

Mr Greenaway added: “Ministers implying a fair pay offer for our members means cuts to spending are only diverting attention from the real cause of the crisis in our public services.

“We have endured more than a decade of cuts not because of staff being paid fairly but because our governments, at Westminster and Holyrood, have failed to properly fund the public sector.

“Government is about choices but, when our public services are struggling to recruit and retain skilled staff, paying council staff fairly is not part of the problem but part of the solution.”

Finance Secretary Shona Robison said: “I am delighted GMB Scotland members have voted in favour of this fair, above inflation pay deal which allows this hugely valued workforce to continue serving communities.

“I hope Unison and Unite members also recognise the fairness and strength of the offer, and will vote to accept it too.”

Cosla resources spokeswoman Katie Hagmann said: “I am heartened to hear the positive news that GMB Scotland members have voted with a large majority to accept Cosla’s latest Scottish Joint Council pay offer.

“We welcomed the decision of our trade unions to suspend strike action to allow their respective members the opportunity to consider the offer, and I am pleased that GMB members have opted to accept this strong and above inflation offer.

“By fully utilising the funding councils have at their disposal, and incorporating additional funding from the Scottish Government, we were able to make this significantly improved offer without further risk to our vital front-line council jobs and services.

“We hope that members of our other trade unions who are eligible to vote take the opportunity to accept this offer and secure a speedy settlement and deserved pay uplift. Local government highly values all of our employees and their vital work within our communities across Scotland, and this strong pay offer reflects this.”