Bin strikes avoided in Borders as ballot threshold missed

The strikes, between August 14-22, will affect 14 local authorities and comes after members rejected a new pay deal.

But the number of workers who took part in a ballot on industrial action in the Borders “narrowly missed the threshold required”.

The Unite union claims a new pay offer ‘grossly undervalues’ Scottish council workers – in contrast with the offer made to UK counterparts.

An offer of £1,290 has been made to council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the National Joint Council (NJC).

This equates to a rise of 67p per hour or 5.2 per cent for a council worker earning around £25,000, based on a 37-hour week.

In contrast, the COSLA offer for Scottish workers of 3.2 per cent equates to £800 or a 41p-per-hour increase.

Graham McNab, Unite industrial officer, said: “COSLA’s latest pay offer doesn’t add any extra cash. It continues to grossly undervalue Scotland’s council workers compared with the offer made to their counterparts across the UK.

“A stinking Scottish summer looms unless COSLA and the Scottish government quickly sort this out by injecting more cash into a new offer.

“Any offer will need to value the lowest paid council workers, at least, on similar terms as the offer made to other UK council workers.

“The Scottish government can no longer sit idly by, we are on the brink of nationwide strike action which could last for months.”

COSLA’s resources spokesperson, councillor Katie Hagmann, said: "It is important to stress that this revised, fair offer is at the absolute limit of affordability for councils, given the severe financial constraints local government is facing.

“This strong offer is worth more than the first year of the Scottish Government’s current public sector pay policy. It is a strong, fair and credible pay offer, reflecting the high value council leaders place on the local government workforce and the invaluable work they do every day serving communities across Scotland."