Trade union Unite has suspended strike action in Scotland that was scheduled to take place this week so it can ballot its membership on an improved pay offer by COSLA.
Unite made the decision following a meeting of its local government committee on Friday (22 September).
The committee has recommended members accept the improved pay offer, which represents a minimum increase of £2,006 for those on the Scottish local government living wage, and a minimum of £1,929 for all those above from 1 April 2023.
The hourly living wage of £10.85 rises to £11.89 under the offer, which is the equivalent to a 9.6 per cent increase. The overall pay offer is estimated to cost around £580m.
The ballot will open on 26 September and close on 17 October.
Three days of strike action involving thousands of Unite members in education and early years services had been expected to take place between 26 and 28 September across 11 councils.
“Unite’s primary objective all along has been to negotiate a credible offer that addresses chronic low pay in local government. It is an offer that should have been put on the table months ago if it were not for the dithering and blundering by COSLA and Scottish government ministers,” said Graham McNab, Unite’s lead negotiator for local government.
“We believe the offer makes sufficient progress on low pay, and it is one that our wider membership should have its say on.”
The latest offer further commits council leaders to establishing an advisory group comprised of COSLA officials, and the trade unions to set out a ‘route map’ to achieving a minimum £15 per hour in local government.
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