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| Unions call off Scottish school and bin strikes | Unions call off Scottish school and bin strikes |
| (1 day later) | |
| The first wave of strikes by refuse workers last month left bins overflowing in several Scottish cities | The first wave of strikes by refuse workers last month left bins overflowing in several Scottish cities |
| Strikes that had been due to close hundreds of schools and leave bins unemptied across Scotland next week have been called off. | Strikes that had been due to close hundreds of schools and leave bins unemptied across Scotland next week have been called off. |
| A new offer will mean a 10% pay rise for the lowest paid staff instead of special cost of living payments this year and next. | A new offer will mean a 10% pay rise for the lowest paid staff instead of special cost of living payments this year and next. |
| Non-teaching school staff in 11 council areas had been due to go on strike for three days next week. | Non-teaching school staff in 11 council areas had been due to go on strike for three days next week. |
| Refuse workers had also been due to begin a fresh round of strikes. | Refuse workers had also been due to begin a fresh round of strikes. |
| The Unison, GMB and Unite unions all said they had suspended their industrial action while they consult their members on the new pay offer, and that they were recommending the deal is accepted. | The Unison, GMB and Unite unions all said they had suspended their industrial action while they consult their members on the new pay offer, and that they were recommending the deal is accepted. |
| The latest headlines from Scotland | The latest headlines from Scotland |
| Read more stories on Scottish politics | Read more stories on Scottish politics |
| It follows an 11-hour meeting between unions and council leaders that was hosted by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in Edinburgh on Thursday. | It follows an 11-hour meeting between unions and council leaders that was hosted by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in Edinburgh on Thursday. |
| The unions had rejected an increased pay offer earlier this week. | The unions had rejected an increased pay offer earlier this week. |
| Cosla said at the time it was disappointed that the unions had turned down a deal that was at the "absolute extremes" of affordability, while Ms Sturgeon warned there was no "bottomless pit" of money to pay for an improved offer. | Cosla said at the time it was disappointed that the unions had turned down a deal that was at the "absolute extremes" of affordability, while Ms Sturgeon warned there was no "bottomless pit" of money to pay for an improved offer. |
| What is included in the new offer? | What is included in the new offer? |
| An increase of £2,000 for those earning up to £20,500 | An increase of £2,000 for those earning up to £20,500 |
| An increase of £1,925 for those earning between £20,500 to £39,000 | An increase of £1,925 for those earning between £20,500 to £39,000 |
| A 5% increase for those earning between £39,000 to £60,000 | A 5% increase for those earning between £39,000 to £60,000 |
| A maximum increase of £3,000 for those earning above £60,000 | A maximum increase of £3,000 for those earning above £60,000 |
| The removal of social care registration fees | The removal of social care registration fees |
| One extra day of annual leave | One extra day of annual leave |
| All increases will be based on a 36 hour week calculator | All increases will be based on a 36 hour week calculator |
| Councillor Katie Hagmann, Cosla's human resources spokeswoman, said the revised offer showed that councils had "listened to the concerns of our workforce and have responded positively". | Councillor Katie Hagmann, Cosla's human resources spokeswoman, said the revised offer showed that councils had "listened to the concerns of our workforce and have responded positively". |
| She added: "Council leaders have said consistently throughout these negotiations that we very much value and are grateful to the local government workforce." | She added: "Council leaders have said consistently throughout these negotiations that we very much value and are grateful to the local government workforce." |
| Nicola Sturgeon intervened in the pay dispute between unions and Cosla | Nicola Sturgeon intervened in the pay dispute between unions and Cosla |
| Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish government would have to make difficult choices to help pay for the pay deal. | Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish government would have to make difficult choices to help pay for the pay deal. |
| She told BBC Scotland: "I hope union members will now accept this offer, I think this is a good deal for workers in really difficult circumstances. | She told BBC Scotland: "I hope union members will now accept this offer, I think this is a good deal for workers in really difficult circumstances. |
| "People are struggling and obviously it is a good deal for the public because it averts any possibility of industrial action and I'm particularly grateful to trade unions for suspending the strike action planned for next week. | "People are struggling and obviously it is a good deal for the public because it averts any possibility of industrial action and I'm particularly grateful to trade unions for suspending the strike action planned for next week. |
| "The Scottish government has a finite budget so there are going to be some difficult decisions to support this deal but it is important we do support the best deals for workers." | "The Scottish government has a finite budget so there are going to be some difficult decisions to support this deal but it is important we do support the best deals for workers." |
| Scottish Labour's local government spokesman Mark Griffin said it was "simply not good enough that it took weeks of industrial action to embarrass the SNP government into action". | Scottish Labour's local government spokesman Mark Griffin said it was "simply not good enough that it took weeks of industrial action to embarrass the SNP government into action". |
| Scottish Conservative Party Chairman, Craig Hoy MSP, said Nicola Sturgeon was "missing in action for weeks" and the strikes should have been stopped a lot sooner. | Scottish Conservative Party Chairman, Craig Hoy MSP, said Nicola Sturgeon was "missing in action for weeks" and the strikes should have been stopped a lot sooner. |
| 'Not a perfect offer' | 'Not a perfect offer' |
| Bin strikes began in Edinburgh on 18 August after unions rejected an initial pay offer equivalent to a 3.5% increase. | Bin strikes began in Edinburgh on 18 August after unions rejected an initial pay offer equivalent to a 3.5% increase. |
| The action escalated last week when workers at a further 20 local authorities walked out despite a revised 5% offer. | The action escalated last week when workers at a further 20 local authorities walked out despite a revised 5% offer. |
| Unison said 80% of their members would now get pay rises of between 5% and 10%, which it described as a victory. | Unison said 80% of their members would now get pay rises of between 5% and 10%, which it described as a victory. |
| Why is everyone going on strike? | Why is everyone going on strike? |
| The view from both sides of the bin strike boundary | The view from both sides of the bin strike boundary |
| Johanna Baxter, the union's head of local government, said: "It is only through the collective action of our members in school and early years staff threatening strike action and our waste and recycling workers taking action that we have forced these extra funds out of government and the employer." | Johanna Baxter, the union's head of local government, said: "It is only through the collective action of our members in school and early years staff threatening strike action and our waste and recycling workers taking action that we have forced these extra funds out of government and the employer." |
| A GMB Scotland spokesman said the new offer was a "significant amount of consolidated money" for workers including the "frontline refuse and school staff that everyone depends on". | A GMB Scotland spokesman said the new offer was a "significant amount of consolidated money" for workers including the "frontline refuse and school staff that everyone depends on". |
| Keir Greenaway, the union's senior organiser for public services, said: "It is not a perfect offer but it is the view of GMB Scotland's local government committee that it's worthy of members consultation and their acceptance". | Keir Greenaway, the union's senior organiser for public services, said: "It is not a perfect offer but it is the view of GMB Scotland's local government committee that it's worthy of members consultation and their acceptance". |
| Unite said the direct intervention of the first minister had been a primary reason for the breakthrough, and that it now had a "credible offer which our local government representatives can recommend to the membership for acceptance." | Unite said the direct intervention of the first minister had been a primary reason for the breakthrough, and that it now had a "credible offer which our local government representatives can recommend to the membership for acceptance." |
| Meanwhile, Scotland's largest teaching union is recommending that its members vote in favour of strike action in a dispute over pay. | Meanwhile, Scotland's largest teaching union is recommending that its members vote in favour of strike action in a dispute over pay. |
| The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has started a consultative ballot on the current 5% pay rise offered by council employers. | The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has started a consultative ballot on the current 5% pay rise offered by council employers. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Scottish government | Scottish government |
| Scotland Education | Scotland Education |
| GMB | GMB |
| Unite | Unite |
| Local government | Local government |
| Strike action | Strike action |
| Unison | Unison |