SNP accused of 'passing the buck' as strike action in education and waste collection in councils planned

Nicola Sturgeon was urged to intervene to prevent widespread strike action by council workers as local authority budget cuts were blamed for the planned industrial action.

Unions have warned waste will pile in Scotland and schools will shut later this summer unless the Scottish Government and Cosla, the council umbrella body, table a “significantly” improved pay offer for local government staff.

Scottish Conservatives party chairman Craig Hoy has urged the First Minister to get involved in negotiations prevent the “catastrophic strikes” going ahead.

It comes as Unite confirmed its local government membership in 26 councils had rejected a “derisory’” 2 per cent pay offer and voted for industrial action.

Glasgow's bins were overflowing as a result of previous strike action (Photo: John Devlin).

The union will be finalising the strike dates in the coming week.

Action in refuse and waste services is expected to begin in mid-August, while strikes specifically impacting on schools is expected to begin in early September.

Councils hit by the Unite industrial action include Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee, Fife Glasgow, and North and South Lanarkshire.

Council workers in the GMB and Unison unions at nine local authorities across Scotland will also walk out over a 2 per cent pay increase offered to them by Cosla.

It means that bins in councils including Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, and Glasgow could remain uncollected, while schools in councils including Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, and Renfrewshire could close when strike dates are confirmed.

Specific responses to the industrial action will be locally implemented by each council and will be tailored to local circumstances, according to Cosla.

Unison, along with Unite and GMB unions, have asked for a £3,000 increase and a £12 an hour rate as a minimum for all council workers.

Cosla leaders will meet on Friday and Unison said they “must” put forward an improved offer on the table to avoid disruption to council services across Scotland.

Johanna Baxter, Unison head of local government, said: “Council workers south of the border yesterday were offered a flat rate uplift of £1,925, which for those on the lowest pay equates to a 10.5 per cent increase.

“You have to wonder why council workers north of the border have only been offered a measly 2 per cent increase when the cost of living continues to spiral.

“It is clear now that local government workers have had enough and are prepared to strike in the coming weeks unless we see a sensible offer.”

The Scottish Tories criticised the Scottish Government for “passing the buck” to Cosla and the unions to resolve the dispute.