Members of a council workers union have rejected the latest improved pay offer.

Unison has turned down the offer after a ballot of members, and said it falls short of expectations.

It means a strike is still on the cards unless an agreement is reached.

Cosla, the body representing Scotland’s councils, offered a minimum increase of 3.6%.

The deal is weighted to give full-time front-line staff a rise of £1292, equivalent to 5.6% for the lowest paid.

Unison said staff have suffered a real-terms pay cut over a number of years and members want more.

It said they have had a 25% real-terms pay cut over the past 14 years.

Unison stated: “Council workers in Scotland are angry their pay offer is not in line with other public service workers, many of whom have been given 5.5% pay rises.”

Members who took part in the ballot voted 86% in favour of rejecting the offer

The union said it has mandates in 13 councils for strikes by waste and recycling workers at 13 councils and for education and early years staff at five councils.

Colette Hunter, Unison Scotland local government committee chair, said: “Cosla and the Scottish Government need to understand the anger among council staff.

“They want a fair increase to stop their pay consistently falling behind, and for their wage increase to be in line with other areas of the economy.

​“The last thing anyone wants to do is go on strike, but local government workers deserve better.

“This result must be a wake-up call and get the employers and government to invest in local services and the staff who deliver them.”

David O’Connor, Unison Scotland co-lead for local government, said: “Councils are in crisis. “They struggle to recruit because workers are expected to deliver even more with fewer staff and lower wages.

“That puts workers and the services they provide under intolerable pressure. It’s unsustainable it can’t go on.”

GMB accepted the offer last week after almost eight out of 10 GMB members in the ballot voted to accept.
The result of a ballot of Unite members is expected on Thursday, September 5.