Revised pay offer: bin strike now on hold in East Dunbartonshire

The union paused eight days of strikes in waste and cleansing, due to start on Wednesday, to allow members to vote on the new terms. The action would have involved workers in East Dunbartonshire.

GMB Scotland’s local government committee met on Monday morning to discuss the offer from CoSLA, representing Scots councils, involving a 3.6 per cent increase for all grades with a rise of £1,292 for the lowest paid, equivalent to 5.6 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. 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 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.”