Edinburgh lead the way in industrial action over local government pay
On Thursday 18th, Unite members in Waste and Cleansing in Edinburgh will take industrial action over the insulting pay offer for local government workers.
On Friday, COSLA increased the offer from 2% to 3.5%. All three unions of the Scottish Joint Council—Unite, Unison and GMB—immediately rejected this insulting offer.
The NHS have been offered—and look set to reject—5%, so once again local government is treated as the poor relation of the public sector. Local government workers in England have been offered a rise of £1,925.
We are the first council to take action, with others following on the 24th—details below.
Pickets and support
The strike takes place from 5am on Thursday 18 August to 5am on Tuesday 30 August with daily pickets at 7 waste depots across the city. See picket locations.
You can support the strike by donating to the strike fund.
Thursday 18th: Demo at the City Chambers and RMT rally
We will be demonstrating at the City Chambers on Thursday 18 August at 9am as part of the industrial action.
Following this, we will join the RMT rally on Waverley Bridge at 10am to foster solidarity among workers and hear from Mick Lynch and Mark Thomas.
For striking members
Read the strike frequently asked questions. Use this page if you have any other questions to ask.
Action in other councils—the second wave
Unite members in 14 councils will strike from 6am on 24 August to 5:59am on 1 September. The councils are:
- Aberdeen City
- Angus
- Clackmannanshire
- Dundee
- East Ayrshire
- East Lothian
- East Renfrewshire
- Falkirk
- Glasgow
- Highland
- Inverclyde
- South Ayrshire
- South Lanarkshire
- West Lothian
Hi mark looking clam 70 pounds day Wednesday 24th Thursday 25th and Tuesday 30th and Wednesday 31
Hi Mark
The forms for strike pay will be posted to your house. To claim strike pay you will need to provide your August and September pay slips, so make sure you are set to get you pay slip easily. The strike pay forms will be dealt with by Unite centrally. We will be visiting depots to help with claim forms once the September pay slip has gone out.
See the FAQ for striking workers for details.
Thanks,
Graeme
Branch convener
Are Unite balloting members on the new pay deal offered to Scottish local authority workers following Nicola Sturgeons intervention?
Hi Brett
Yes, the ballot opened on 9 September and closed today. Results will be announced soon. Details at https://www.unitececbranch.org/septemberoffer.
Thanks,
Graeme Smith
Convener