Unite workers vote to carry on with strike action in 14 local authority areas

August 22, 2022 2:30 pm

For the moment the bin strike in Edinburgh and elsewhere in Scotland looks as though it will continue.

Unite the union issued a statement following a meeting of Unite’s local government representatives committee held on Monday.

Alison Maclean, Unite industrial officer, said: “Unite’s local government committee has reaffirmed that the strike action ongoing in Edinburgh and scheduled to take place in a further 14 councils continues as planned. There remains insignificant detail on the 5 per cent pay offer, and what this in reality means for the lowest paid workers.

“At this moment the offer from COSLA remains a vague aspirational pledge but Unite can’t take anything to our wider membership unless we have specifics and guarantees.

“A meeting is scheduled for tomorrow with COSLA and we will then reassess the situation. Our members have taken the brave stance of taking strike action to get the pay rise they deserve and we are determined to ensure that this happens.”

GMB Union

Responding on Monday afternoon to COSLA’s five per cent proposals on pay, and following a meeting of GMB Scotland’s local government committee, GMB Scotland Senior Organiser Keir Greenaway said: “Our members want clarity from COSLA about whether this proposal comes with the assurance of a flat rate award, a key demand of the union pay claim.

“The prospect of the highest paid getting the biggest cash increases in any offer would be unacceptable, let alone one that is still well below inflation.

“Unions will now meet with COSLA officials tomorrow morning, but in the meantime all existing and planned strike action remains on.”

Edinburgh is the first council area where strike action has so far been taken. But other councils will follow in the days and weeks ahead if no agreement is reached. Unite workers will strike from 24 to 31 August in Aberdeen, Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, East Ayrshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow, Highland, Inverclyde, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian. Unison plan strikes from 26 to 29 August and 7 to 10 September and the GMB union plan strike action from 26 to 29 August and 7 to 10 September.