Unions reach agreement to prevent strikes by garbage workers

The deal would have given workers a flat wage increase of 3.2 percent for a one-year period between April 1 of this year and March 31, 2025.

Cosla said it was above the rate of inflation and worth more than the first year of the Scottish Government’s pay policy in other areas of the public sector.

They described Cosla’s previous offer, which provided employees with a 2.2 percent pay increase from April 1 and a two percent pay increase from October 1, as “inadequate.”

According to Unison, members from 13 Scottish communities have voted in favour of a strike and a vote will be held this week on 38,000 employees of schools, kindergartens and family centres.

But Unite and GMB have taken the weekend to reflect on their position and both are expected to announce a decision on Monday.

Councillor Katie Hagmann, Cosla’s spokesperson for resources, said the organisation was “disappointed” that Unison had rejected the offer just hours after it was made.

She added: “We have made it clear in all discussions with the unions that the offer is at the very limit of what the communities can afford, given the difficult financial situation we are facing.”

“We must all respect our union colleagues and wait to see whether both GMB and Unite have time to meet their committees before making any further comment.”

In 2022, garbage workers in Edinburgh went on strike for 12 days during the city’s festival season, leaving the streets littered with piles of garbage.

This was followed by similar actions in Glasgow and another 18 of Scotland’s 32 administrative counties, which lasted until the end of August.

Due to the accumulation of waste in urban areas, the Scottish Department of Health was forced to issue a health alert.

An agreement was finally reached on 2 September, but only after an intervention by the then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

A Scottish Government spokesman called on all parties to return to the negotiating table and find a way to make the agreement work.

They added: “While we respect workers’ rights, industrial action serves no one’s interests and is detrimental to the community and people.”

“The Scottish Government calls on all parties involved to work together constructively to reach an agreement that is fair for workers and affordable for employers.”