Tag: strikes

Improved offer to schools workforce

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

School Strikes: time running out to avert further action next week

Virtually every state Secondary school in Scotland closed yesterday teachers continue to strike in pursuit of a fair pay settlement.

Following Tueday’s highly successful strike in the primary sector, Secondary teachers and associated professionals turned out in huge numbers on picket lines and at demonstrations and rallies right across Scotland.

Amongst the demonstrations yesterday was a rally of teachers outside Bute House in Edinburgh, the official residence of the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon.

Commenting on Wednesday’s strike action, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said: “Following Tuesday’s show of strength from primary teachers, today it is Scotland’s secondary teachers and associated professionals who are on strike and demanding that the Scottish Government and COSLA pay attention.

“Teachers really do not want to be out in the streets – in the cold, wind and rain – to seek a fair pay increase, but have been forced into this position by the inaction of the Scottish Government and COSLA on teacher pay.

“After dragging the negotiating process out for the best part of a year, the Scottish Government and COSLA only have themselves to blame for the situation we find ourselves in today.”

Ms Bradley added, “For six months, we have seen little or no progress in negotiations, with the Scottish Government and COSLA only reheating an old, already rejected offer, and attempting to sell it to teachers as new, fresh and appealing.

“Scotland’s teachers haven’t been fooled by the spin, and are now taking the only option that remains – the withdrawal of their labour – to seek a better, fairer offer on pay.

“It is only within the last week, with the second round of strike action looming, that we have seen some small signs that the Scottish Government and COSLA are prepared to work towards making an improved offer.

“Should a new, improved and credible, offer arrive in sufficient time, this will be considered by the EIS and our sister teacher unions in the hope that further strike action, scheduled to commence next week for 16 consecutive days, may yet be avoided.”

UK Government introduces laws to mitigate the disruption of strikes

New laws will allow government to set minimum levels of service which must be met during strikes ‘to ensure the safety of the public and their access to public services’

  • New laws will allow government to set minimum levels of service which must be met during strikes to ensure the safety of the public and their access to public services
  • the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill will ensure crucial public services such as rail, ambulances, and fire services maintain a minimum service during industrial action, reducing risk to life and ensuring the public can still get to work
  • Business Secretary Grant Shapps said in Parliament today: “We do not want to have to use this legislation unless we have to, but we must ensure the safety of the British public.”

Millions of ‘hard-working’ people across the UK will be protected from disruptive strikes thanks to new laws introduced yesterday, which will allow employers in critical public sectors to maintain minimum levels of service during strikes.

The government is introducing this legislation to ensure that striking workers don’t put the public’s lives at risk and prevent people getting to work, accessing healthcare, and safely going about their daily lives.

The government will first consult on minimum service levels for fire, ambulance, and rail services, recognising the severe disruption that the public faces when these services are impacted by strikes, especially the immediate risk to public safety when blue light services are disrupted.

The government hopes to not have to use these powers for other sectors included in the Bill, such as education, other transport services, border security, other health services and nuclear decommissioning.

The government expects parties in these sectors to reach a sensible and voluntary agreement between each other on delivering a reasonable level of service when there is strike action. This will, however, be kept under review and the Bill gives the government the power to step in and set minimum service levels should that become necessary.

Business Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The first job of any government is to keep the public safe. Because whilst we absolutely believe in the ability to strike, we are duty-bound to protect the lives and livelihoods of the British people.

“I am introducing a bill that will give government the power to ensure that vital public services will have to maintain a basic function, by delivering minimum safety levels ensuring that lives and livelihoods are not lost.

“We do not want to have to use this legislation unless we have to, but we must ensure the safety of the British public.”

The sectors the legislation includes are:

  • health services
  • education services
  • fire and rescue services
  • transport services
  • decommissioning of nuclear installations and management of radioactive waste and spent fuel
  • border security

This principle is already recognised in many countries across the world, such as Italy and Spain, where systems for applying minimum levels during strikes are in place for services the public depend on.

As is the case currently a union will lose its legal protection from damages if it does not comply with the obligations set for them within the legislation.

Yesterday’s reforms come as government ministers are meeting trade unions to discuss fair and affordable public sector pay settlements for 2023 to 2024. 

TUC to hold national ‘protect the right to strike’ day on February 1

Union body says it will fight new anti-strike legislation “every step of the way”

  • The TUC will hold a national ‘protect the right to strike’ day on Wednesday 1 February. 
  • The announcement comes following a meeting of trade union leaders yesterday. 
  • Events will take place in different parts of the country against the Conservative’s new anti-strike legislation.  
  • Members of the public will be invited to show their support for workers taking action to defend their pay and conditions.
  • More information will be provided in the coming weeks about planned activities. 

The TUC has vowed to fight the new strike curbs “every step of the way” – including through parliament and the courts. The union body says the government’s new anti-strike plans are unworkable and almost certainly in breach of international law. 

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “The right to strike is a fundamental British liberty – but the government is attacking it in broad daylight.  

“These draconian new curbs will tilt the balance of power even more in favour of bad bosses and make it harder for people to win better pay and conditions. 

“Nobody should lose their job if they take lawful action to win a better deal. But ministers have gone from clapping our key workers to threatening them with the sack. 

“Unions will fights these plans every step of the way – including through parliament and through the courts. 

“On February the 1st will we hold events across the country against this spiteful new bill – which is unworkable and almost certainly illegal. 

“We will call on the general public to show support for workers taking action to defend their pay and conditions, to defend our public services and to protect the fundamental right to strike.” 

On the need for the government to follow the example of the private sector, Paul Nowak added: “The government should be following the example of many employers in the private sector who have sat down with unions and agreed fair pay deals. 

“But instead ministers are drawing up plans that will succeed only in escalating disputes and driving workers away from wanting to work in our public services.” 

TUC polling published in last year revealed that 1 in 3 public servants were taking active steps to leave their professions. 

Analysis published by the union body shows: 

  • Nurses have lost £42,000 in real earnings since 2008 – the equivalent of £3,000 a year 
  • Midwives have lost £56,000 in real earnings since 2008 – the equivalent of £4,000 a year 
  • Paramedics have lost £56,000 in real earnings since 2008 – the equivalent of £4,000 a year 

And if the government does not improve its pay offer for public servants, public sector pay will fall, on average, by over £100 a month in real terms in 2023. 

Opposition should be targeting Government not GPs, says BMA

Responding to shadow health secretary Wes Streeting’s comments on reform of the existing GP system, Dr Kieran Sharrock, BMA England GP committee acting chair said: “There’s no doubt that the situation in general practice – for both patients and staff alike – has never been under more pressure. GPs share the frustration of patients as demand outstrips capacity, and worry that they’re unable to provide the safe high-quality care that they want to.

“But as Mr Streeting himself alludes to, when supported properly, general practice is value for money and improves health outcomes, meaning people don’t need to go on to receive expensive hospital care. We agree with Mr Streeting that the GP contract needs to be revamped, to enable the most efficient, cost-effective part of the NHS to thrive.

“This shouldn’t be about reinventing the wheel though, when we know people value the continuity of care that their GP practice should be able to provide through the partnership model. We’re not at all averse to change and, in England, the BMA’s GP committee is already looking ahead to what contract will replace the current five-year framework that ends in 2024.

“We’ve already seen changes in recent years with a wider variety of health professionals working with GP practices and more direct referrals to people like physiotherapists that both benefits patients and reduces the burden on GPs. 

“But what cannot be escaped is the spiralling workforce shortage that we have, which has been made worse by a lack of political support and continuous attacks on the profession. Instead of blaming family doctors and their representatives for problems with the health service – the opposition should clearly be setting its sights on the Government that has overseen a haemorrhaging of GPs over the last decade.

“This is not about ‘vested interests’. We represent our members and also want the best for patients. The two co-exist.

“We have offered to sit down and discuss this with Mr Streeting, to ensure that he understands the pressures on the frontline and how these can realistically be alleviated for the benefit of both staff and patients.”

New Year, new round of school strikes

INDUSTRIAL ACTION IN SCHOOLS NEXT WEEK

Industrial action in schools next week: all primaries closed on Tuesday 10 January, all secondaries closed on Wednesday 11 January, special schools are also affected.

Full details incl. nurseries and free school meal payments here:

https://edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/download/15311/school-closures—letter-to-parents-and-carers

The EIS has said that the New Year’s resolution for both the Scottish Government and COSLA must be to pay Scotland’s teachers fairly by coming back with a greatly improved pay offer.

Scotland’s teachers have not received a pay rise for the year 2022, despite being due for a pay increase in April.

Commenting as schools broke up for the Christmas holidays, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “As 2022 comes to a close, Scotland’s teachers are still waiting for a pay settlement that should have been paid to them in April. What Scotland’s teachers have been offered by the Scottish Government and COSLA amounts to a record real-terms pay cut of up to 11% in a single year.

“This is in the context of the value of teachers’ pay dropping by a massive 20% since 2008. It is little wonder that teachers voted so overwhelmingly for strike action, and remain determined to stand firm against the unprecedented pay cuts that have been offered.”

Ms Bradley continued, “Having taken one day of strike action in November, EIS members will resume a programme of strike action in the New Year. We have offered every opportunity to the Scottish Government and COSLA to settle this dispute, but they have stubbornly failed to take advantage of those opportunities.

“Reheating old offers and repeating tired spin is not going to fool Scotland’s teachers, and it is not going to resolve this dispute or end the ongoing programme of strike action. Neither teachers nor the public believe the claims that Scottish teachers are better paid than their counterparts elsewhere in the UK and internationally – in England the top of the pay scale is higher than in Scotland, and 14 OECD countries sit above Scotland on the league table of teachers’ pay.

“The only OECD league table on teachers’ conditions that Scotland has climbed is the one which quite shockingly shows that Scotland has the third worst record in the world when it comes to excessive class contact hours.

“Rather than Scottish Government spin, only a substantially improved, fair and credible offer can end this dispute and let teachers focus fully on teaching young people rather than having to fight for a fair wage.”

Ms Bradley added, “The Scottish Government and COSLA must do better. They owe it to Scotland’s teachers – the majority of them women – and Scotland’s pupils to end this dispute by committing to pay Scotland’s teachers a fair pay increase. This is about pay justice and gender pay justice.

“Teachers worked tirelessly as key workers throughout the pandemic, often putting their own health at risk to ensure the best possible education for Scotland’s young people amidst very difficult circumstances. Now, in the early stages of education recovery, teachers want to be in the classroom supporting pupils. But, as the cost-of-living soars, teachers deserve and expect an appropriate increase in their pay – not a deep real-terms pay cut, as they have consistently been offered.

“Education must be a top priority for government and for local authorities, and that means investing in Education, including investing in teachers, to ensure the best possible educational experience for all of Scotland’s young people.

“Scotland has a stated commitment to reducing the gender pay gap and to being a Fair Work nation by 2025. Having made these commitments and as the new year dawns, it has to be time for the Scottish Government and COSLA to resolve to offer a fair pay settlement to all of Scotland’s teachers.”

Letter_to_Parents_and_Carers_4Jan23Download

Why are workers striking?

This winter we’ve seen hundreds of thousands of workers taking industrial action – or striking – to defend their pay and conditions (writes TUC’s Alex Collinson).

These are individual disputes, and it’s important to understand the details in different workplaces. But there is a common cause: a pay disaster that means workers are being paid less in real terms now than they were 14 years ago. 

First things first – what’s a strike?

Trade unions exist to defend their members’ jobs, pay and conditions. Normally they try to do that through negotiations with employers, through a process called collective bargaining. But when those negotiations break down, workers have the right to collectively withdraw their labour to help bring the employer back to the bargaining table.

In Britain, the right to strike is governed by complex and restrictive industrial action laws. In summary, to count as ‘protected industrial action’, a strike must:

  • relate to a work dispute with your own employer
  • be supported by a valid secret postal ballot with independent scrutiny, in which at least of half the balloted workers have voted (in other words, “not voting” counts as a vote against the strike)
  • be carried out with notice

In addition, since the Tories’ 2016 Trade Union Act strikes involving workers who provide what the government calls an “important public service” can only be lawful if at least 40% of the workers balloted over the action vote in favour of it.  

Nurses on strike in London

How much has strike activity increased?

The number of strikes has been on the rise in recent months. The latest data shows that the 417,000 days were lost due to strike action in October 2022, the highest it’s been in 11 years. Some are estimating that this December will see over a million days lost to strike action for the first time since 1989.

But it’s important to put the recent rise in strike action into context. While the number of days lost due to strike action is relatively high compared to the past couple of decades, they’d be fairly standard in any decade before the 1990s.

Days lost to strike action by decade

If more than one million working days are lost due to strikes in December, it’ll be the first time it’s happened since July 1989. But between 1970 and 1989, there were 47 months when this happened. And the 417,000 days lost due to strike action in October 2022 may be the fifth highest on record since 1990, but we regularly saw far higher figures pre-1990.

So what’s behind the rise?

Each individual strike will have different reasons behind it, but there’s some common factors behind the recent rise.

Work has been getting worse for many – lower paid, worse conditions, increasingly insecure. At the same time as workers have seen pay and conditions get worse, businesses have been giving more and more money to shareholders, with dividends paid out to shareholders growing three times faster than wages over the past decade.

And the government has been refusing to properly fund pay rises for public sector workers, failing to introduce a proper minimum wage, and attacking trade union rights, and failing to introduce a proper minimum wage.

The government’s minimum wage remains below the Real Living Wage set by the Living Wage Foundation, and, even with next year’s rise, will be £4.58 below a £15 per hour minimum wage.

Pay

We’ll start with pay. Average real pay (that’s wages once you take inflation into account) is lower now than it was in 2008. It’s not expected to go back above 2008 levels until 2027. This 19-year pay squeeze is longer than any pay squeeze we have official records for, and likely the longest since Napoleonic times.

If wages had grown in line with pre-2008 trends over the past fourteen years, they’d now be £291 per week higher than they currently are.

Real average weekly wages since Jan 2000

Over a decade of stagnant pay has directly contributed to the current crisis, leaving many people unable to cope with a sudden rise in prices. While the cost of living crisis is often presented as a recent problem, it’s been building for years.

The situation was already dire before energy bills began to rise. As we went into the pandemic, the number of people in poverty was at a record high, with the majority of those in poverty living in a working household. 

Household debt was also at a record high, as was food bank use and the number of people seeking debt advice.

The recent rise in prices has made the situation even worse. After years of stagnant pay, workers are now facing double-digit inflation while being offered single-digit pay rises. The latest data shows that, in October, nominal pay rose by 6.4 per cent, while inflation hit 11.1 per cent. Real pay has fallen by £111 per month in the past year alone.

Real pay growth, three-month average, by sector

This is particularly bad in the public sector, where pay is rising by just 3.8 per cent, and average real pay has fallen by £185 per month in the past year.  

Weak pay growth in the public sector is down to the government refusing to give proper pay rises to workers that kept the country running during the pandemic. Look at health workers, for example. TUC analysis of NHS pay scales shows that:

  • Nurses’ real pay fell by £1,800 over the last year
  • Paramedics’ real pay fell by £2,400 over the last year
  • Midwives’ real pay fell by £2,400 over the last year

This is after a decade of pay suppression by government that has led to nurses earning £5,000 a year less in real terms than they were in 2010. For midwives and paramedics this rises to over £6,000.

Working conditions and job losses

But it’s not just about pay. Many of the current strikes happening aren’t just about getting pay rising, but also protecting jobs, fighting against worsening working conditions, and putting an end to insecure contracts and outsourcing.

The UCU members striking in universities, for example, are fighting not just for better pay, but an end to casualisation and dangerously high workloads. Similarly, striking postal workers are fighting against the unagreed imposition of new working conditions, and part of the rail workers dispute is about job losses and worsening conditions.  

Fighting for pay itself is often a fight to improve working conditions. Better pay helps with recruitment and retention of staff.

It’s a political choice

The government spent months clapping for key workers, but now refuses to give them a fair pay rise. This is a political choice. The government could avoid, for example, rail workers, nurses, teachers, paramedics striking by getting around the negotiating table and offering a decent, fair pay rise.

Instead, it continues to offer real pay cuts to public sector workers, often hiding behind pay review bodies while it does. And when it comes to rail workers, the government is actively blocking deals being made. This is all part of wider cuts to public services that have left them understaffed and underfunded.

The government doesn’t agree pay deals in the private sector, but it can set a positive example to employers by offering decent pay rises. It also has the power to deliver increases to the minimum wage that get it to £15 an hour.

But instead, the government has repeatedly attacked trade union rights, making it harder to strike and therefore harder to negotiate for better pay.

On strike for fair pay poster

Workers are winning

There’s another reason behind the rise in the number of people gaining confidence to take action: workers are winning. People are winning better pay deals and working conditions by joining together and standing up for themselves. Striking workers have won themselves double-digit pay rises across a range of different jobs, from bus drivers to BT engineers, as well as better conditions and an end to outsourcing.

If you aren’t in a union yet, there’s never been a better time to join – talk to your mates and talk to a union. And to learn more on how the TUC is supporting union disputes, see our solidarity hub here.

Industrial Action: Broughton High School CLOSED tomorrow

STRIKE: THURSDAY 8 DECEMBER – STUDENTS TO STAY AT HOME

Dear Parents and Carers

Due to employee rights around industrial action, we are unable to collate accurate information around the number of teacher colleagues who will be striking on Thursday 8th December in advance. We are aware that some non-striking colleagues may take action in support of striking colleagues. 

As such we will make the following adaptations to the delivery of Learning and Teaching:

  • All students should stay at home and will receive live online lessons
    • Live online lessons will be made available by non-striking teachers
  • This will require children to have their own device, preferably the iPad provided by school, and to log on at the usual time for lessons. 
  • If no teacher or work is available due to strike action, learners can use
    • Contingency Learning Grids available on the CEC webpage.
    • Alternative forms of learning (e-sgoil, Click etc), available on the CEC webpage.
    • Learning resources provided by individual teachers across subject areas.
  • A free school meal will be available for eligible pupils to collect from school during lunch time.
    • Pupils entitled to a free school meal should report to the school at 13.05-13.30 to collect their meal.
    • Please use the main front doors for entry and exit. Staff will be on duty to assist.

Local government pay dispute is over

Following a meeting of Council Leaders yesterday, Councillor Katie Hagmann, COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson, said: “I am pleased to get this year’s pay deal for the Local Government Workforce concluded and over the line.  This now enables us to get money into the pockets of the workforce as quickly as we possibly can.

“This is a deal that clearly shows Scotland’s Council Leaders have listened to the very real concerns of our workforce and have responded positively.

“Council Leaders have said consistently throughout these negotiations that we value the work of our Local Government Workforce and are grateful for the difference they make within communities across Scotland.

“We also believe that it is a good deal which is about more than just pay. It is a package that includes an extra day’s holiday for SJC [Scottish Joint Council] staff on a recurring basis and payment of SSSC [Scottish Social Services Council] fees from this year onwards.”

One Day More!

Work to clear mountains of rubbish on Edinburgh’s stinking streets begins tomorrow

The City of Edinburgh Council is preparing to resume waste and cleansing services following industrial action.

With the scheduled strike due to end at 4.59am on Tuesday, additional resources are being deployed to support street cleansing and communal bin collections, particularly in the city centre and other areas most affected by the strike.

Residents receiving kerbside collections are being asked to put their bins out as normal on their scheduled collection day. Extra waste will be collected during this time, if it is bagged and put next to wheelie or communal bins

Blue box (glass) collections will continue to be suspended to prioritise resources, though Household Waste and Recycling Centres will reopen from Tuesday with extended hours. Bookings can be made online as normal.

Full details of bin collection days, the recovery plan and advice on dealing with waste can be found on the Council website.

Council Leader Cammy Day said: “I regret the impact this national crisis has had on our Capital city and am continuing to press the Scottish Government to fund an acceptable settlement. Talks are continuing over the weekend and I’m hopeful we can reach agreement and prevent any further disruption.

“As I’ve said throughout, I fully respect the right of our colleagues to take this action and have their voices heard. As a trade union member myself, I’ve joined the picket lines in support of fair pay for our workforce and will do so again.”

He may have joined a picket line, but Edinburgh’s Labour council leader has been criticised for voting AGAINST a 5% pay offer to the striking workers, instead voting with the Tories at a Cosla meeting to support an increase of just 3.5% – an offer that would never have been acceptable to the trade unions.

However Cllr Day went on:”This dispute has brought the value of our waste and cleansing teams – and their right to fair wage – into sharp focus and I’m delighted they’ll be back out from Tuesday, helping to return our city to its best.

“While they’ll be working hard to catch up on collections and making every effort to collect litter across the city, it’ll take time for things to return to normal. Please bear with them as they do so and, if you can store your extra waste safely for a little longer or are able to book an appointment at a recycling centre, please do so.

“If your bin is not collected on its normal day, please leave it out and it’ll be picked up as soon as possible thereafter.

“I appreciate that this has been an extremely challenging period for us all and I would like to thank our residents, businesses and visitors for their continued patience and understanding.”

While the industrial action in Edinburgh ends tomorrow, the pay claim has not been resolved and further strikes will follow unless a settlement can be reached. Some progress has been made however and a deal is edging closer – Cosla and the trade unions will meet for a fifth day of talks later today.

Services restart 30 August

Our bin collection and street cleaning services will restart on Tuesday 30 August.

We’ll be working hard to catch up on collections after the strike action.

If you are able to take excess waste, such as cardboard, plastics and other dry recycling, to the household waste recycling centres, please book an appointment. This would help our teams collect other waste more quickly. Recycling centres hours have been extended.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Communal services

  • Communal bin collections are restarting from 30 August.
  • We will collect excess waste – please bag it and place it neatly beside the bin. If you can, please put mixed recycling in a clear bag.
  • Do not leave large bulky items, like furniture or mattresses, beside bins. Please book a special uplift or book an appointment to take it to a recycling centre.
  • We have additional council teams helping with collections however it may take time for collections to get back to normal and we appreciate your patience.

Kerbside services

  • Restarting on 30 August and will be focused on key services.
  • There may be some disruption as we catch up on the backlog.
  • Please put your bins out on your next scheduled collection day. Check when your next scheduled collection day is.
  • If your bins are not emptied on your normal collection day, please leave them out until we get to them.

Non-recyclable waste collections (grey bins)

  • Restarting on 30 August. Please put your bin out on your next scheduled collection day.
  • We will collect excess waste as long as it is bagged. Please bag your extra waste neatly beside your wheelie bin on your scheduled collection day.

Mixed recycling collections (green bins)

  • Restarting on 30 August. Please put your bin out on your next scheduled collection day.
  • We will collect excess waste as long as it is bagged. Please bag your extra waste neatly beside your wheelie bin on your scheduled collection day. If possible, please bag your mixed recycling in a clear bag.

Food waste collections

  • Restarting on 30 August.
  • Please put your food bin out on your next scheduled collection day. Please do not present excess food waste outside the caddy.

Glass collections (blue box)

  • To allow us to catch up with collecting other waste, kerbside glass collections is still suspended. We will let you know when this collection will restart.
  • If you want to, you can make an appointment to take your glass to one of our household waste recycling centres.

Garden waste collections (brown bins)

  • Restarting on 30 August. Please put your bin out on your next scheduled collection day.
  • If you’re a garden waste customer, we’ll be in touch shortly with details of how we’ll compensate you for any collections missed during the strike.

Gull proof sacks

  • Please put your sack out for collection on your scheduled collection day this week.
  • We will collect extra waste. Please bag it and leave it neatly beside your sack.

Litter bins and street cleansing

  • These services will restart from 30 August.
  • Our street cleansing teams will be prioritising the city centre, town centres, and areas with high footfall and many on-street bins.
  • We’ll be working hard to collect litter across the city but it may take time to catch up on the backlog. Thank you for your patience.

Request and replacing bins and boxes

Our repair, replacement or removal of bins and boxes service is still suspended. This is to allow us to divert resources to cleansing and waste collections.

Waste reporting and enquires

We have removed online reporting for waste and cleansing as we focus on catching up with cleansing and waste collections.

If you need to report an emergency issue where waste is causing injury or hazard, please phone and listen to the new options carefully. Phone 0131 608 1100 from

  • Monday to Thursday between 10am and 4pm
  • Friday between 10am and 3pm  

After these hours, phone 0131 200 2000.

Local Government strikes: COSLA tables improved offer

Local government umbrella organisation Cosla has tabled an improved offer in a bid to end planned industrial action bu council workers.

COSLA Resources spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann said yesterday: “Following Leader’s Special meeting today they have mandated me to move forward with our trade union partners on the basis ofan offer that raises the overall value to 5% and in addition raises the Scottish Local Government Living Wage to £10.50.

“In doing so, Leaders have reaffirmed the need for a discussion with Scottish Government on how they can support Councils by providing flexibilities and long term funding support.

“This will limit the risk to public services and the impact on communities”.

Local Government trade unions will now take the improved offer to their members, but with inflation currently running at 10.1% it’s far from certain that the offer will be enough to end the ongoing strike here in Edinburgh and industrial action set to take place across Scotland next week.

The Bank of England has warned that inflation will exceed 11% this year and could go even higher.

Strike action began in Edinburgh on Thursday when GMB Scotland and Unite the union members employed by The City of Edinburgh Council took the first of 11 days of strike action.

A GMB spokesperson said: “Waste will pile up during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. We make no apologies for this. Political leaders are to blame, and if they want to stop these strikes then our members need a pay offer that confronts this cost-of-living crisis.

“Our members won’t accept working poverty as an inevitability. They’re standing together and fighting for the pay rise they deserve.”