COUNCIL workers across Scotland have been offered an improved pay increase after the president of COSLA cast the deciding vote.
Workers will now be offered a 5% pay rise, an improvement on the 3.5% originally offered by councils.
The offer will see the Scottish Government local government living wage increase to £10.50.
The vote by COSLA members was tied at 16-16, with the SNP and independents supporting the motion and Labour and the Conservatives siding against.
But the SNP leader cast the deciding vote, meaning councils can now immediately offer the pay increase.
Waste and recycling workers in numerous Scottish councils are set for strike action at the end of the month, with further strikes scheduled for early September.
Cleansing workers in Edinburgh already began an 11-day strike on Thursday after turning down an initial pay rise offer.
The Scottish Government previously provided an extra £140 million a year to allow councils to make the improved offer, which Local Government minister Shona Robison confirmed will be funding the 5% pay rise.
Earlier this week Nicola Sturgeon said that councils’ failure to pass this onto workers was “really disappointing”.
Dougie Reid, the SNP’s COSLA group leader, said: “This is a very welcome breakthrough.
“Council staff have made and continue to make a huge contribution to our communities on a daily basis. The offer proposed at the last COSLA meeting by Labour and Tory leaders neither reflected their value, nor recognised their contribution to the work of councils.
“The increasing financial crisis we are seeing with the cost of living is also increasing pressure on hard-pressed workers and their families.
“To make an offer short of five per cent was not credible and SNP leaders have thankfully today secured a mandate to make an immediate offer of 5%”.
COSLA resources spokesperson, Councillor Katie Hagmann, said: “Following Leaders Special meeting on Friday, they have mandated me to move forward with our trade union partners on the basis of an offer that raises the overall value to 5% and in addition raises the Scottish Local Government Living Wage to £10.50.
“In doing so, leaders have reaffirmed the need for a discussion with Scottish Government on how they can support councils by providing flexibilities and long-term funding support. This will limit the risk to public services and the impact on communities.”
But unions argue the offer is still not enough, emphasising that inflation is at a 40-year high.
Alison Maclean, Unite industrial officer, said: “It has taken COSLA over five months to make an offer which we can take to our members for consideration.
“While the 5% offer is an improvement, it is important to emphasise that it comes at a time when the broader retail price index has now hit a 40-year high at 12.3%.
“Unite’s local government committee will urgently consider this latest offer. At this juncture the strikes for next week continue as planned.”
However, Shona Robison said the improved offer was a “welcome step forward”.
She said: “This increased pay offer to local government workers is a welcome step forward and has been supported by the Scottish Government’s commitment of an additional £140 million for council workers’ pay on a recurring basis.
“Throughout discussions, despite ministers having no formal role in the pay negotiations between councils and their employees, we have sought to work collaboratively with COSLA while providing full transparency around our financial position.
“All areas of the public sector are having to make challenging savings to stay within existing budgets.
“The UK Government has provided no further funding for these pressures with last year’s Spending Review not taking account of the levels of pay uplift needed or the wider effects of inflation.
Nevertheless, we have sought to support a meaningful revised offer in the face of the cost emergency.”
