Burials, schools and bin emptying to be hit in spiralling pay row

Published on Monday 17 November 2008 21:40

UNION leaders have warned that council services are likely to be hit by more strikes if their members do not get an improved pay offer.

Yesterday, 25,000 members of the GMB union joined Unite in voting to continue industrial action. The decision could mean that bodies go unburied, schools have to close and rubbish remains uncollected.

GMB members were unhappy with an offer of a 3 per cent rise this year and 2.6 per cent next year, and voted two to one against it.

The two unions – the GMB and Unite – represent about a third of Scotland's council workforce, but have been left to fight the dispute alone after the 100,000 Unison members last week voted to accept the offer.

But Alex McLuckie, GMB's senior Scottish organiser, has claimed his members include more of the low-paid workers who need a better pay deal.

He said: "Obviously, we will have to assess our tactics now that Unison members have agreed to settle. But we believe we can still cause significant disruption and, if that is the case, then we will be willing to continue with industrial action.

"Our members have given us a very clear message and that is this deal is unfair and does not address their low pay."

But GMB and Unite members look set to be faced with little movement from council bosses represented at the bargaining table by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla).

They have been buoyed by the acceptance of the offer by members of the biggest local government, Unison, against the recommendation of their officials.

A Cosla spokesman said: "Obviously, we are disappointed that members of the GMB have rejected our pay offer. However, the majority of our employees have accepted. We now await the joint trade union response."

The dispute, at a time of economic crisis, has seen Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray dragged into the row. His support for strikers during his leadership bid appeared to have cooled.

He said: "I have always said the original offer was not fair or reasonable in changed economic circumstances, particularly for low-paid council workers. The new offer is clearly better but hasn't addressed the issue of low pay to the satisfaction of GMB and Unite. I hope employers and unions can find a way to resolve this before further strike action results."

But he was ridiculed by opponents. The SNP MSP Christina McKelvie, a former social worker and shop steward, said: "It doesn't surprise me that we see Labour politicians take a different position once they secure the prize. Too often, trade union members are used as political pawns by the Labour Party."

Tavish Scott, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Scotland, has urged the Scottish Government to step in to stop a fresh round of council strikes.