Bin strikes Scotland: Council strikes in East Lothian and West Lothian to go ahead as Unite rejects pay offer

The union has rejected the latest pay offer, and strikes in the Lothians are set to go ahead from today.

Strike action will begin today in East Lothian and West Lothian as pay negotiations continue.

Edinburgh will see the strike continue until August 30, and start from today in East and West Lothian, along with Aberdeen City, Angus, Dundee, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Falkirk, Glasgow, Highland, Inverclyde, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire.

They will continue in these council areas until the last day in August.

Unite industrial officer, Wendy Dunsmore added: “Unite has rejected outright the 5 per cent pay offer and strike action across 14 councils will go ahead.

"It’s a sad indictment that council workers in Scotland are being offered substantially less than their counterparts in England.

“The cold hard reality is that inflation and energy costs are soaring – and they are predicted to rise even higher.

"The 5 per cent today will not be worth the same in a matter of months when the cost of living crisis will bite even harder.

Bin strikes Scotland: Council strikes in East Lothian and West Lothian to go ahead as Unite rejects pay offer

"The offer on the table just doesn’t help the lowest paid make ends meet.

“This dispute will continue to escalate to a point where it could now go beyond the winter causing months of massive nationwide disruption.

"The blame for this will lie squarely at the doors of COSLA and the Scottish Government.”

It is reported that more than half of Scotland’s 250,000 council workers are earning less than £25,000 a year for a 37-hour week.