Ballots for industrial action underway

1st July 2008

Four of Scotland’s largest unions have launched ballots for industrial action in response to unacceptable pay offers from local and Scottish government.

In local government GMB, UNISON and UNITE will ballot members in July.

The Public Commercial Services union is calling on its members to support a two day strike against the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Pay Policy, which allows only 2% in the cost of living increase.

Local Government

Dougie Black, UNISON Regional Organiser said: CoSLA have failed to respond to the rejection of their inadequate offer with anything meaningful to address our members concerns. In particular they have failed to tackle the issue that the offer increases the gap between the higher and lower paid. At the bottom end the offer means a mere 15p per hour increase in the first year.

Download a copy of the joint local government unions' leaflet on low pay

Scottish Government

PCS Scottish Secretary, Eddie Reilly said; “Swinney is attempting to dupe our members into believing they will get a 4.5% cost of living pay increase when in fact they are only being offered 2%, otherwise he would be breaking his own pay policy. He is also trying to blame Westminster when he is pursuing the same policy. It’s high time he was honest with his own workforce”.