UNISON’s negotiators continue their efforts to secure a pay rise for council workers of £1,500 or 6.5% whichever is greater.
The rise would be based on a 37 hour week and applied after the Scottish Local Government Living Wage has been uprated with a similar increase in allowances.
UNISON is also looking for a commitment to make up over the next five years for loss of earnings due to below inflation pay rises.
On the table at the moment is 3% for those on up to £36k; 2% for £36,501- 80k; and £1,600 on £80k and above.
UNISON is in talks with CoSLa and both parties have written separately to the Scottish Government saying that if the government wants to provide one lot of workers (There are four bargaining groups – ourselves, craft workers, teachers and chief officers) with a better settlement that anyone else then the government had better come up with the cash to pay for it.
CoSLA for their part want to give everyone the same increase. Something UNISON has argued for years.
UNISON has written to Derek McKay, Cabinet Secretary Finance & the Constitution for more money to fund the local government pay claims. The joint trade unions were due to meet with him on 10 May to press him for parity across the bargaining groups and for the money to pay the rises.
In the meantime UNISON has carried out a pay claim survey of its members. 9263 members participated – which has given valuable information on what action we will take on pay and how we handle current negotiations. UNISON branches will receive a breakdown of the survey responses.
Click here for full details on the UNISON Scotland website