Half of Scotland’s councils set for bin strikes

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “After years of cuts to council pay and services, years of chronic underfunding and understaffing, our membership is saying no more. Enough.

“They have Unite’s unequivocal support in the fight for better jobs, pay and conditions across Scottish local government.”

The GMB said its members in waste services in 13 Scottish councils had achieved a mandate for strike action on Monday, including in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Fife, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Aberdeenshire, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, and Stirling.

Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland’s senior organiser for public services, said: “Year after year, these talks have been needlessly drawn out.

“That leaves our members – typically the lowest paid working on the frontline of our services – without the pay rise they need. Inflation may be stabilising, but can anyone say they feel the difference?

“Council leaders refuse to have meaningful talks – all while blocking the Scottish government’s intervention to deliver a pay offer that matches our members’ value. They are counting down the clock while our members go without.”