Bin strikes due to disrupt Edinburgh festivals called off amid new pay offer

The strikes by refuse and recycling workers due to disrupt the Edinburgh festivals this week have been called off, after a new pay offer was made.

Edinburgh faced a repeat of the strikes during the festival in 2022, with mounds of uncollected bin bags, overflowing recycling bins and unsightly food-covered pavements.

The industrial action was due to begin on Wednesday across Edinburgh and 25 other councils. But the unions involved, Unite, Unison and GMB, announced on Monday they had suspended the strikes to consult their members on a new pay offer.

After facing intense pressure from council leaders and businesses to find more money, Scottish ministers offered Cosla, the umbrella organisation for Scotland’s 32 councils, extra funding late on Friday.

The revised offer involves a minimum increase of 3.6% for all grades, backdated to April, but with a rise of £1,292 for those on the lowest pay, an increase equivalent to 5.63%.

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Unite and the GMB have recommended their members accept the deal but Unison will recommend that its members reject it, because they are relatively better paid and will receive a proportionately lower pay rise.

David Connor, Unison Scotland’s local government official, said: “Council staff have seen the value of their pay reduced by 25% over the past 14 years and any pay deal needs to do more to reverse this.​

“The union has been clear all along that the wage deal needs to work for everyone in local government. This pause will provide some breathing space for further dialogue.”

Keir Greenaway, for GMB Scotland, said this offer was “a significant improvement” on the previous one. “It should never have got to this stage, however, and Scotland’s council leaders have again shown an absolute lack of urgency or sense of realism,” he said.

The Scottish government had a better track record of rewarding public sector workers during pay talks compared with the previous UK government, but union leaders believe the Labour victory in July has changed the mood.

UK ministers are now far more likely to agree to higher pay deals in England, which makes it politically harder for Scottish ministers to reject union demands. Union officials also said they had been told that the Treasury is being more transparent with Scottish ministers about the money available.

Cammy Day, the leader of Edinburgh city council, urged the unions to accept the new offer but said the Scottish government had to properly fund council services, to avoid these high-stakes industrial disputes.

“If we do manage to reach a resolution, it will come as a huge relief to residents and businesses across Edinburgh, alongside the visitors from across the globe who are here experiencing our fantastic festivals,” he said.