Ballot intention in pay dispute
Inverclyde Council has been formally notified by Trades Union UNISON of their intention to ballot employees for strike action.
The move, announced today (23 August 2021), is a result of a dispute over the pay offer to local government employees being negotiated on behalf of councils by local government group COSLA.
Now the union has let the council know formally under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1952, that they will be distributing ballot papers on 1 September 2021.
UNISON intend to send ballot papers to all members employed in school cleaning, school catering, school janitorial and waste and recycling services.
Inverclyde Council Leader Councillor Stephen McCabe said: “While it is disappointing that UNISON has rejected the revised pay offer made by COSLA and that they have decided to ballot their members for targeted strike action I fully respect their right to do so.
“The offer made by COSLA is already more than the Council has budgeted for and was made despite a cut in our core grant from the Scottish Government.
“Scotland’s Councils are not in a position to make a further improved offer without additional funding from the Scottish Government. To do so would require more cuts in jobs and services, which wouldn’t be in the interests of our local residents or Council employees.
“Unison and the other trade unions should join with COSLA and Council Leaders in a call to the Scottish Government to provide funding for an improved pay offer.”