SCOTTISH councils are to be hit by a new wave of strikes after union members decided to continue taking action over pay.
About 150,000 of Scotland's 250,000 local government employees are expected to stage a walkout on 24 September, affecting most council services.
The move follows the refusal by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) to improve its o
ffer of a 2.5 per cent pay rise for next year, although it pulled back on insisting employees only accepted 2.5 per cent per year for the next three years.
As a result, the three main unions – Unison, Unite and GMB – have decided to continue strike action. There was a day of action on 20 August when rubbish was not collected, schools were closed and other services were suspended.
Dougie Black, Unison Scotland regional officer and secretary to the joint trade union negotiating team, said: "This sends a very clear message to the employers: your failure to improve your offer despite previous commitments given in public to do so will not be tolerated by our members.
"Taking further industrial action is regrettable, but now unavoidable. We have no alternative, given the employers' behaviour."
Michael Cook, Cosla's spokesman, said: "Since we made an offer of 2.5 per cent to unions in March 2008, the financial environment has changed. We acknowledge that and fully sympathise with our employees over the pressures they face. As has been outlined, those pressures also mean huge difficulties for council budgets."
The Scottish Government, which is also facing strikes from its own staff over pay, has refused to intervene, claiming the issue is a matter for local government.
However, all three Scottish Labour leadership hopefuls have renewed their calls for the SNP-led Scottish Government to find a solution.
The full article contains 306 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
