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Glasgow City Council staff sent strike ballot amid pay row

Glasgow City Council staff sent strike ballot amid pay row

Glasgow Times01-05-2025

The workers are part of tens of thousands of council staff in Scotland who have been sent the papers.
The move comes as part of a dispute over pay, according to UNISON Scotland, who say the ballot is the largest of its kind for many years.
READ MORE: Stagecoach bus strikes suspended after legal threat
The union is balloting all staff it represents in local government in Scotland, with more than 80,000 workers across all 32 councils given the opportunity to take part from Thursday, May 1 until June 12.
This follows a recent consultation in which 92% backed strike action.
The local government employer body, Cosla, has proposed a 3% pay increase for all council workers in Scotland for 2025-2026.
READ MORE: Can you spot yourself? Hundreds flock to Glasgow parks to bask in the sunshine
However, David O'Connor, UNISON Scotland co-lead for local government, said: "Dedicated council staff have seen the value of their pay fall for more than a decade, as wages failed to keep pace with the cost of living.
"These workers deliver high-quality, vital services to communities, despite increasing pressures, dwindling resources and significant staffing shortages.
"Cosla's offer only adds to the real financial hardship faced by employees, especially with rent, council tax and energy bills continuing to soar."
'Strike action is always a last resort, but local government workers have been underpaid and undervalued for far too long.
"Cosla and the Scottish government need to step up and offer a decent wage increase that reflects the value of these workers.'
READ MORE: Thousands to march in Glasgow for Scottish independence rally
Susanne Gens, chair of UNISON Scotland's local government committee, said: "Staff have indicated overwhelmingly that they've reached their limit.
"They can't afford to shoulder the burden of real-terms pay cuts.
"Local government workers are the glue that holds communities together and provide essential services on which everyone relies.
"The Scottish Government and Cosla must recognise their worth and respond with a fair pay offer that values these essential workers."
Cosla has been approached for comment.

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