Union calls off refuse strike to ballot members on new pay deal

Midlothian’s refuse collection and street cleaning services would have been affected.

Strike action by refuse workers in Midlothian has been called off after a new pay offer was made by local government body Cosla.

Waste workers across 18 council areas had planned to walk out on Wednesday, (August 14) as part of an eight-day strike over pay, disrupting waste, street cleaning and recycling services

The GMB, one of the biggest unions in Scottish local authorities, said it had taken the decision to suspend the strike to allow its members to vote on the new terms.

The new offer represents a minimum cash increase of £1,292 for the lowest paid council workers, which is equivalent to 5.2 per cent for those earning around £25,000. The Scottish local government living wage will also increase by 5.63 per cent.

Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland senior organiser in public services, said: “This offer is a significant improvement on what came before but our members will decide if it is acceptable.

“It is better than that offered to council staff in England and Wales, would mean every worker receives a rise higher than the Retail Price Index and, importantly, is weighted to ensure frontline workers gain most.

“As a gesture of goodwill, we will suspend action until our members can vote on the offer.

“It should never have got to this stage, however, and Scotland’s council leaders have again shown an absolute lack of urgency or sense of realism.

“For months, we have been forced to waste time discussing a series of low-ball offers when it was already clear the Scottish Government needed to be at the table.

"The obvious reluctance of some council leaders to approach ministers has only caused needless uncertainty and threatened disruption.

“That is no way to run a railroad or conduct serious pay negotiations.”

Council Leader Kelly Parry had said that the lack of consensus on a pay deal was “concerning and disappointing.”

She said: “We value the contribution of our waste and recycling colleagues very highly, and we want to see them compensated equitably, so from our perspective it’s vital that a solution to the current situation is reached as quickly as possible.”