Summer of discontent on the horizon as council workers back strike action in pay row

Tens of thousands of council workers have voted in favour of strike action - threatening a ‘summer of discontent’ for public services.

The proposed walkouts come amid a dispute over pay, after local government employer body Cosla offered council staff a three per cent increase for 2025-26.

Unison said more than 92 per cent of those who took part in a consultation are in favour of striking - which it said should be a ‘wake-up call’ for council bosses.

It said large council tax rises imposed by local authorities across the country were one reason why the 3 per cent rise offered to workers is ‘effectively a wage cut’.

Last night Scottish Tory finance and local government Craig Hoy said: ‘After years of SNP government underfunding of councils, this kind of confrontation, raising the prospect of a summer of discontent, was always likely.

‘There must be no repeat of their previous neglect, which has seen rubbish pile up in the streets, and schools, libraries and other basic services shutting their doors.

‘Their inability to get a grip on a bloated public sector has made this pay dispute worse.

‘Ministers must urgently get round the table and settle this to ensure that taxpayers receive the services they are paying for.’

Unison said more than 92 per cent of those who took part in a consultation are in favour of striking over pay

Workers included in the strike ballot are waste collection workers, whose previous strikes left rubbish piled up in the streets

Unison said decisions have yet to be taken about which categories of worker will go on strike.

But all council workers have been balloted including leisure staff, environmental health officers, town planners, social work staff, social carers, council tax staff, early years workers, child and family support staff, and school staff.

After last year’s council tax freeze, local authorities across Scotland have agreed inflation-busting rises of up to 15.6 per cent for 2025-26.

Unison is now considering its next steps ahead of formally balloting its membership of more than 80,000 council workers on strikes which could hit rubbish collection and risk school closures.

Last night Unison urged Scottish ministers to start negotiating a ‘fair pay offer’.

A dispute over pay saw Unison workers take strike action last year, with non-teaching staff in schools in First Minister John Swinney’s constituency walking out for two weeks.

Unison - one of three representing local government workers - is now threatening action again over the proposed pay hike.

Colette Hunter, chairman of Unison Scotland’s local government committee, said: ‘The last thing anyone wants to do is take strike action.

‘But local government workers deserve a fair increase to stop their pay lagging behind inflation and other sectors of the economy.

‘This result should be a wake-up call for Cosla.

‘It needs to reward council workers fairly for the essential services they provide and start to reverse years of pay cuts.

‘Workers have seen the value of their wages fall over the past 10 years, while often being asked to take on even more work to cover for vacant posts in their teams.

‘Councils provide vital services to their communities by caring for the most vulnerable, educating children, collecting waste and recycling, and keeping people safe.

‘Council workers deserve better.’

Unison Scotland local government lead David O’Connor said ‘inflation, energy and council tax rises’ mean the current pay offer is ‘effectively a wage cut’.

He said: ‘Strike action is always a last resort, but local government workers deserve to be paid fairly for the vital work they do.

‘Cosla and the Scottish Government must get around the table with a fair pay offer that recognises the essential contribution council workers make in the community.’

A Cosla spokesman said the 3 per cent pay rise it had offered in February was ‘rejected by the unions without giving their members an opportunity to vote’ on it.

He said: ‘Instead, the unions have chosen to ask their members to consider industrial action in pursuit of a higher pay offer.

‘Our current offer, which was made before the settlement date and remains on the table, fully utilises the available funding and represents a balance between making an offer aligned with the current CPI rate of inflation and protecting services and jobs.

‘We must be clear that the current offer is not without challenges for councils struggling to balance budgets.

‘We implore our unions to properly consult their members on pay offers rather than immediately seeking to escalate to damaging industrial action in pursuit of unsustainable levels of pay that would result in cuts to services and higher taxes.’

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: ‘Local government pay negotiations are a matter for local authorities as employers and unions - the Scottish Government has no formal role.

‘The Scottish Government urges all parties involved to work together constructively and reach an agreement which is fair for the workforce and affordable for employers.’