COSLA tables increased offer with school strikes looming
Local government umbrella body COSLA has tabled an improved offer to unions in an attempt to avert school strikes.
Commenting on a revised offer which was sent to the Trade Unions yesterday (Wednesday) COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann said: “The reality of the situation is that as employers, Council Leaders have now made a strong offer even stronger.
“Council Leaders have listened to the workforce and then acted on what they heard by adding additional Council funds to get us to the position today where a revised offer can be made.
“We have also secured additional baseline funding from Scottish Government of £94 million, which will be built into the Scottish Government’s funding for Councils from next year, that ensures the viability and sustainability of this offer.
“This is an extremely strong offer which not only compares well to other sectors, but recognises the cost-of-living pressures on our workforce and which would mean the lowest paid would see a 21% increase in their pay over a two-year period.
“Councils value their workforce and this offer will support those workers during a cost of living crisis, whilst also protecting vital jobs and services. We hope that our Trade Union colleagues will give their membership the chance to consider this strong offer.”
Commenting on Cosla’s revised pay offer which was sent to unions last night, UNISON Scotland’s head of local government, Johanna Baxter said: ““UNISON Scotland’s local government committee will hold an emergency meeting first thing tomorrow (today, Thursday) and will go through the detail of Cosla’s revised offer and consider our position. UNISON will do everything we can to find a solution – we do not want to see mass school closures.
“However, we need to be convinced that this is a substantially improved offer. UNISON members in schools have voted in unprecedented numbers to take action and we have a mandate to call over 21,000 school staff out on strike over this – our members have clearly had enough. COSLA and the Scottish government need to make sure these workers are properly rewarded for their commitment and hard work.”
More than three quarters of Scotland’s schools face closure later this month in a dispute over pay, as UNISON announces strike dates. If it goes ahead the action will affect primary and secondary schools in 24 local authorities, with 76% of Scotland’s schools affected (1,868 schools).
UNISON, Scotland’s largest local government union, says more than 21,000 members will take part in the action over three days from Tuesday, 26 to Thursday, 28 September.
UNISON Scotland’s head of local government, Johanna Baxter said last week: “Going on strike is always a last resort – our members want to be in schools supporting children not on picket lines outside them.
“But they have been left with no option. Local government workers overwhelmingly rejected COSLA’s below-inflation pay offer back in March and despite our repeated representations no improvement has been forthcoming.
“A real-terms pay cut in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis is a cut our members simply cannot afford. This is not a highly-paid workforce – three quarters of local government workers earn less than the average Scottish wage.
“All they want is to be paid fairly for the vital work they do supporting Scotland’s communities – COSLA and the Scottish Government need to get back round the table and work with us to deliver that.”
Chair of UNISON Scotland’s local government committee, Mark Ferguson said last week: “Our members are steadfast in their resolve to fight for fair pay. COSLA’s offer falls short of UNISON’s pay claim, it is also less than the offer made to the lowest paid local government staff south of the border.
“No-one wants to see schools close but COSLA need to come back with a significantly improved pay offer very soon if strike action is to be avoided. We remain committed to engaging in negotiations with COSLA and the Scottish Government at any point to try to resolve this dispute.”
COSLA has now came back with that new offer – but will this ‘even stronger’ offer be enough to avert looming industrial action?
BREAKING NEWS:
2pm: UNISON HAS REJECTED LATEST PAY OFFER – STRIKES GO AHEAD