Council workers will ballot on strike action over an “insulting” pay offer.
Local government trade unions have rejected outright a two per cent pay offer from COSLA.
The body representing councils blamed the Scottish government for restricting its ability to make a higher offer.
A Cosla spokesman said: “We will work through the process with our trade union colleagues in the usual manner, recognising the significant constraints presented by the local government finance settlement for 22-23 from the Scottish government.”
SNP ministers have said the negotiations are for councils and unions.
The GMB, which with Unison and Unite represents frontline workers, described the offer as derisory and insulting.
And it will ballot its local government membership next week over possible industrial action.
Keir Greenaway, a senior organiser for the GMB, said: “If the lowest paid local government workers get an increase that amounts to less than a tenner a week, it could turn a cost-of-living crisis into a catastrophe.
“And the fact that COSLA chiefs are also using workers as a political football in their own battles with the Scottish Government over budget cuts is totally unacceptable.
“Without pay that confronts soaring inflation and energy prices, many of the key workers that were applauded on the nation’s doorsteps will go from the frontline to below the breadline.”
Johanna Baxter, UNISON Scotland’s head of local government, said: “This offer is an insult to these key workers.
“The lowest paid workers would still not reach a £10 per hour rate of pay under this proposal never mind the £12 per hour called for in our claim.
“Indeed the offer is, unbelievably, weighted towards those on the highest pay and will further exacerbate the issue of endemic low pay which plagues this sector.
“It is in fact so derisory and insulting to our members’ significant contribution that we are not prepared to waste time consulting them on it.”
Wendy Dunsmore, a regional officer with Unite, said: “The two per cent offer on the table for local authority workers nearly four times behind the current cost of living with inflation set to rise further in the coming months.
“In November, we warned both COSLA and the Scottish Government that significant real terms pay cuts will no longer be tolerated by our members.
“Let’s remember that the majority of these workers are low paid, and female.
“We should be rewarding the incredible professionalism and dedication of local government workers instead of a yearly battle to get these workers the pay rise they deserve.“
