Schools could close and bins left to overflow this winter as Renfrewshire’s union chiefs take the first step towards strike action.
Unison has this week joined Unite and GMB trade unions in serving their members with an intention to ballot notice in a dispute over pay with COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities).
All three unions representing staff at Renfrewshire Council are asking their members to consider industrial action after rejecting a revised pay offer made to all local government workers.
Dubbed an insult by unions, the pay deal would, they argue, amount to an additional 3p per hour (before tax) for those earning below £25k and nothing for the remaining 45 per cent of the workforce.
The unions are instead demanding that all staff receive a flat rate increase of £2,000 or a six per cent uplift on pay.
Mark Ferguson, Renfrewshire branch secretary and chair of Unison Scotland’s local government committee, said the COSLA offer failed to recognise the huge sacrifices made by council staff during the pandemic.
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“The work of our members has saved countless lives and provided essential services at the time of greatest need,” he said.
“Without our members key workers would not have been able to attend work, our environment would have been adversely affected increasing the risk of virus transmission, our vulnerable and elderly would not have been provided with essential care and support, our registration services, cemeteries and temporary mortuaries could not have continued to operate.
“They also played a key role in the setting up of temporary vaccination and testing centres.
“I call upon the Scottish Joint Council Employers to come back to the negotiating table with a revised and improved offer that fully recognises the hard work of our members.”
Unison and its partners are asking school cleaning, catering and janitorial staff, as well as waste and recycling workers to strike on behalf of the whole workforce.
In addition to their pay claim - which would underpin the minimum rate of pay of £10.50 per hour, unions also want local authorities to pay the mandatory registration fees for all social care workers who must join the Scottish Social Services Council.
But Wendy Dunsmore, of Unite, said COSLA has already turned away from its commitment to cover the cost of professional fees.
She said: “What is unforgivable is the withdrawal of the previous commitment to jointly explore meeting the cost of professional fees including the SSSC for social carers.
“It’s shameful that COSLA nor the Scottish Government don’t believe this is fair or equitable despite a number of local authorities already committing to meeting the SSSC registration costs.
“This is an insult to all low paid health and social care workers who have supported the vulnerable in communities when families were unable to do so over the past 18 months.
“We are currently consulting our members who have the final say but we are recommending they reject this offer.”
Kirsten Muat, GMB organiser for Renfrewshire, said it too had already launched a consultative ballot on potential industrial action.
She added: “It was local government workers who kept hub schools open, collected the bins, cared for vulnerable people in their homes and care homes, maintained parks so we could use outdoor spaces, and so much more.
“They were the backbone of protecting the community against covid. Far from recognising this work, COSLA’s new pay offer is an insult to local government workers.”
A COSLA spokesperson said: “We appreciate everything that local government workers have been doing, and continue to do, to support people and communities during the pandemic and as we begin to recover.
“We continue with on-going constructive negotiations.”
