John Swinney keen to avoid strike action as union warns of ‘stinking summer’

First Minister John Swinney has insisted he is keen to see the council workers’ pay dispute resolved – as another union rejected the latest offer and warned the country could be facing a “stinking summer” with “mountains of rubbish” on the streets if a deal is not reached.

Unite has now become the second trade union to dismiss the new offer made by local authority leaders last week.

Unison, the largest trade union in Scotland’s councils, had already rejected the offer, which local government body Colsa has stressed is at the “limit of affordability” for cash-strapped authorities.

Unite insisted the proposed 3.2% pay rise “grossly undervalues” Scottish council workers, pointing out their counterparts in England have been offered a pay rise of £1,290, which represents a 5.2% rise for those earning £25,000 a year.

A stinking Scottish summer looms unless Cosla and the Scottish Government quickly sort this out by injecting more cash into a new offer

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Cosla has taken months to put a new offer to our local government membership and it’s one that does absolutely nothing to address more than a decade of deep cuts to pay and services.

“Unless Cosla and the Scottish Government move quickly to make an acceptable offer, then mountains of rubbish will pile up across the nation’s streets.

“The politicians have a choice, and one more chance, to resolve this pay dispute before strike action.”

Strike action two years ago saw rubbish pile up in Edinburgh as waste workers took action during the busy summer festival period.

This time round, Unite has a mandate for strike action by waste workers, street cleaners and recycling centre staff in 16 of Scotland’s 32 councils – with the union also in the process of reballoting its members in five local authority areas.

Graham McNab, an industrial officer with the union, 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.”

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

While Mr Swinney stressed he wanted to avoid strike action, he refused to say if the Scottish Government would provide further money for councils to fund a pay deal.

The First Minister, speaking during a visit to Peterhead, said: “I obviously want to avoid any industrial action taking place.”

He stressed, however, it was for local authorities and the trade unions to remain “engaged with dialogue” in a bid to resolve the dispute.

Mr Swinney said: “I am keen that dialogue and discussions are able to take their course, that we can avoid industrial action and have a resolution to that matter that avoids any interruption to services.”