Waste workers in Forth Valley to strike

Waste and recycling workers in Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire are to go on strike in a dispute over pay.

Members of the GMB Scotland and UNISON unions have backed industrial action.

Strike action will run from Friday 26th to Monday 29th August, and Wednesday 7th to Saturday 10th September.

GMB Scotland Senior Organiser Keir Greenaway said:

“Unless COSLA and the Scottish Government make a significantly improved pay offer, more strikes will start across councils in just a few weeks.

“Both parties are squabbling while more of our members struggle with debt, fuel poverty, and hunger, exposing a huge gulf between politics and frontline workers. This is only increasing anger and fear among our members - anger over the lack of value shown to them and fear about what winter will bring in this cost-of-living crisis.

“Make no mistake, these strikes are a direct response from our extraordinary key workers to months of political failure. They are not prepared to accept working poverty as an inevitability even if Scotland’s political leaders are.”

Johanna Baxter, UNISON Scotland head of local government said: “This is the first wave of strike action which will only escalate if a significantly improved pay offer is not forthcoming. Strike dates for schools and early years workers will be confirmed in the coming days.

The responsibility for this action lies squarely with the Scottish Government and COSLA, neither of whom seem to have grasped the gravity of this situation.  Inflation is projected to be as high as 13%, the cost of living crises is hitting people's pockets now and yet local government workers still only have a 2% offer on the table, the lowest offer in the public sector.  They have had months to sort this out but all we seem to get is dither and delay. 

Our understanding is that the money provided by the Scottish Government is half of what COSLA asked for and goes nowhere near matching the pay offer provided to council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.  If this is true then the Scottish Government and COSLA need to get back round the table and come up with a better plan or services will stop.  The last thing UNISON members want is a strike but they have simply been left with no other option.”