Unions ‘hopeful’ Fife bin strikes can be avoided

Union leaders are “hopeful” bin strikes in Fife can be averted after Scottish ministers put additional funding on the table.

Council workers from 26 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities are poised to walk out for eight days from Wednesday August 14 to Thursday August 22, unless an improved pay offer is made.

The 3.2% previously offered by Cosla was rejected by GMB Scotland, Unison and Unite, leading to the planned walkout during part of Edinburgh’s festival period.

Council leaders met this morning (August 9) to add the “additional resource” to the current offer.

A spokesman for GMB Scotland said: "Our local government committee will discuss the detail on Monday and either reject the offer or, if it is potentially acceptable, suspend the strikes and ballot our members."

Councillor Katie Hagmann, Cosla’s resources spokeswoman, said: “We have worked quickly and constructively with Scottish Government to increase the funding available.

“The identification of this additional resource has been extremely challenging given the current financial context and has meant tough decisions in some key policy areas. We hope that an acceptable revised offer can be made as soon as possible.”

Announcing the additional funding on Thursday evening, Finance Secretary Shona Robison said the “enhanced envelope” of cash represented the “absolute limit of affordability”.