Second union accepts pay offer for school staff but Unison strikes still on

A second union has confirmed its school support staff have voted to accept the latest revised pay offer.

A total of 71% of Unite’s local government members voted in a consultative ballot to accept the offer made by council umbrella body Cosla on September 21.

However, some school support staff will still strike as another leading union, Unison, has rejected the offer.

Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: “Unite’s members have voted to accept the revised pay offer.

Pay negotiations do not have to be like this

“A minimum increase of over £2,000 for the lowest paid will be a welcome boost to the pay packets of our members during this ongoing cost of living crisis.

“Unite’s members should be congratulated for the strong stance they have taken to deliver better jobs, pay and conditions across all Scottish councils.”

The revised offer represents a minimum increase of £2,006 for workers on the Scottish local government living wage, and a minimum of £1,929 for those above the rate.

The pay rise will be introduced on April 1 next year based on a 37-hour working week.

The living wage of £10.85 will rise to £11.89 per hour – equivalent to a 9.6 per cent increase.

The offer also means council leaders will establish an advisory group comprised of Cosla officials, and unions to establish a means to achieve a minimum of £15 per hour in local government – one of Unite’s key objectives.

Earlier on Tuesday, members of the GMB union voted to accept a pay deal for workers in non-teaching roles in schools.

A total of 62% of its members backed the deal.

GMB suspended planned strikes in schools and early years centres to allow members to decide on the revised offer.

Keir Greenway, GMB Scotland senior organiser in public services, said this means low-paid workers being given a minimum increase of £1.04 per hour, as well as a minimum increase of £1 per hour for all other colleagues.

He said: “Our members have now backed this offer which will deliver a fair pay rise for all council workers, but particularly those on the lowest salaries.

“It is not a perfect offer but is a good one and it was right our members, who were ready to strike in support of fair pay, were given the chance to vote on it.

“We have been assured no council services or jobs will be cut to fund this pay offer and will continue to ensure those assurances are kept.”

Mr Greenaway said the current process, which resulted in the threat of strike action, was too long.

He said: “That it took the threat of strike action for Cosla to make an offer, which could and should have been on the table months ago, is frustrating and regrettable.

“Pay negotiations do not have to be like this.

“Instead of getting a fair pay offer and the money in their banks, our members have been asked to endure months of inaction, needless delay, and all the melodrama of deadlines and last-minute offers.”

Mr Greenaway then called upon the Scottish Government and Cosla to “find a better way of negotiating” to ensure discussions are “done with a sense of urgency”.

On Monday, Unison said dates for a rolling programme of strikes in schools and nurseries would be announced within days after 89.9% of members rejected the latest pay offer for school support staff.

The strikes follow industrial action by Unison members in 24 local authorities last month, leading to school and nursery closures across much of the country.

Katie Hagmann, Cosla’s resources spokesperson, welcomed the move to accept the vote.

She said: “I am delighted with today’s response from members of both the GMB and Unite trade unions in voting to accept the strong offer Cosla has on the table.

“Their union negotiators also deserve a great deal of credit for the pragmatic approach they took in recommending acceptance to their respective memberships.

“It is pleasing that these two trade unions see the value Scotland’s council leaders place on our workforce.

“We have listened to our trade unions, met all their asks, and worked with the Scottish Government to put an incredibly strong half-a-billion-pound pay package forward.”

She added: “When you extrapolate the votes across all unions it shows that only around one local government worker in five (excluding teachers) has voted to reject the strong pay offer presented.

“Significantly, membership of the two unions who have accepted predominantly comprises those in lower-paid roles across local government and this is where we were asked to focus the deal.”

The Scottish Government was contacted for comment.