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

First Minister John Swinney stressed he was keen to resolve the council workers’ pay dispute – while another union rejected the latest offer and warned the country could face a “stinking summer” with “mountains of rubbish” on the streets if no agreement was reached.

Unite is now the second union to reject the new offer made by local authorities last week.

Unison, the largest union of Scottish local authorities, had already rejected the offer. The local government association Colsa stressed that it was at the “limit of affordability” of the financially weak authorities.

Unite stressed that the proposed 3.2 per cent pay rise represented a “gross undervaluation” of Scottish council workers. Their counterparts in England were offered a pay rise of £1,290, which equates to a 5.2 per cent increase for those earning £25,000 a year.

Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, said: “It has taken Cosla months to make a new offer to our local politicians and this offer does absolutely nothing to address the severe cuts to pay and services that have been ongoing for over a decade.

“Unless Cosla and the Scottish Government come up with an acceptable offer quickly, mountains of rubbish will pile up on the country’s streets.

“Politicians have a choice and still a chance to resolve this wage dispute before strikes occur.”

Two years ago, waste piled up during Edinburgh’s refuse collection strike action as the company took action during the busy summer festival season.

This time, Unite has a strike mandate for refuse workers, street cleaners and recycling centre staff in 16 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities. The union is also holding a new election of its members in five local government areas.

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Graham McNab, an industry representative for the union, said: “Cosla’s latest pay offer does not generate any additional revenue. It continues to significantly undervalue Scottish council workers compared to the offer made to their colleagues across the UK.”

“A stinking Scottish summer is ahead unless Cosla and the Scottish Government sort this out quickly by putting more money into a new supply.

“Any offer must place the lowest paid local authority employees on at least similar terms to the offer made to other local authority employees in the UK.”

Mr McNab added: “The Scottish Government can no longer stand idly by. We are on the brink of a national strike that could last for months.”

While Mr Swinney stressed that he wanted to avoid strike action, he refused to say whether the Scottish Government would provide additional money to local authorities to fund a wage deal.

During a visit to Peterhead, the First Minister said: “Of course I want to avoid industrial action.”

However, he stressed that it was the responsibility of local authorities and trade unions to “maintain dialogue” in order to find a solution to the conflict.

Mr Swinney said: “I want dialogue and discussions to take their course, that we avoid industrial action and find a solution to the matter that avoids disruption to services.”