Waste will pile in Scotland’s cities and schools will shut, unions have warned, as thousands of council workers go on strike as public health concerns grow.
Tens of thousands of cleansing staff, caterers, janitors, school cleaners and pupil support workers rejected the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) pay offer.
Deputy first minister John Swinney has said the piles of rubbish building up throughout Edinburgh are “deeply concerning” for public health with disruption under way in 14 other local authorities as of Wednesday.
He held emergency talks with council leaders and trade unions on Wednesday amid increasing pressure on the Scottish Government to take action. Unions described them as “constructive” but no new offer was tabled.
Further talks are taking place on Thursday afternoon.
After an improved deal of 5% and talks were held with council leaders on Tuesday, unions announced no progress had been made and industrial action would go ahead. COSLA said the offer amounts to one of the best offers “in decades” for local government workers.
Members of the Unite, Unison and GMB unions in 21 councils have planned strike action in the face of what has been described as the biggest cost of living crisis in forty years.
The disruption will see staff across the country in schools, early years centres, nurseries, and waste and recycling centres walk out.
Will your council be hit by strikes?
Aberdeen
Waste services will be disrupted and schools may close after Unite and GMB members balloted to strike.
All waste services will be hit by strikes as workers represented by Unite walk out for a week starting on Wednesday, August 24, through to August 31.
Cleansing staff who are members of GMB will take part in two four-day strikes from Friday, August 26, until Monday, August 29, and from Wednesday, September 7, until Saturday, September 10.
Aberdeenshire
Waste services will be disrupted and schools will close after Unison and Unite members balloted to strike.
Cleansing workers represented by Unison will strike in two waves starting for four days on Friday, August 26, and again on Wednesday, September 7.
School and early years staff represented by Unison will be on strike on Tuesday, September 6, Wednesday, September 7 and Thursday, September 8.
Angus
Waste services will be disrupted and schools may close after Unite and GMB members have balloted to strike.
All waste services will be hit by strikes as workers represented by Unite walk out for a week starting on Wednesday, August 24, through to August 31.
Cleansing staff who are members of GMB will take part in two four-day strikes from Friday, August 26, until Monday, August 29, and from Wednesday, September 7, until Saturday, September 10.
Argyll and Bute
Unite members in the waste service balloted to strike but no dates have been confirmed.
Clackmannanshire
Waste services will be disrupted and schools will close after Unison and Unite members have balloted to strike.
Waste services were due to be hit by strikes by workers represented by Unite starting on Wednesday, August 24, through to August 31. However, this has been called off.
Cleansing workers represented by Unison will strike in two waves starting for four days on Friday, August 26, and again on Wednesday, September 7.
School and early years staff represented by Unison will be on strike on Tuesday, September 6, Wednesday, September 7 and Thursday, September 8.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Schools workers represented by Unite balloted to strike but no dates have been confirmed.
Dumfries and Galloway
Waste service Unite members balloted to strike but no dates have been confirmed.
Dundee
Waste services will be disrupted and schools may close after Unite and GMB members have balloted to strike.
All waste services will be hit by strikes as workers represented by Unite walk out for a week starting on Wednesday, August 24, through to August 31.
Cleansing staff who are members of GMB will take part in two four-day strikes from Friday, August 26, until Monday, August 29, and from Wednesday, September 7, until Saturday, September 10.
East Ayrshire
Waste services will be disrupted and schools may close after Unite and GMB members have balloted to strike.
All waste services will be hit by strikes as workers represented by Unite walk out for a week starting on Wednesday, August 24, through to August 31.
Cleansing staff who are members of GMB will take part in two four-day strikes from Friday, August 26, until Monday, August 29, and from Wednesday, September 7, until Saturday, September 10.
East Dunbartonshire
Waste services may be disrupted and schools may close after Unite members balloted to strike but no dates have been confirmed
East Lothian
Waste services will be disrupted after Unite members balloted to strike.
All waste services will be hit by strikes as workers represented by Unite walk out for a week starting on Wednesday, August 24, through to August 31.
Cleansing staff who are members of GMB will take part in two four-day strikes from Friday, August 26, until Monday, August 29, and from Wednesday, September 7, until Saturday, September 10.
East Renfrewshire
Waste services will be disrupted and schools will close after Unison, GMB and Unite members have balloted to strike.
All waste services will be hit by strikes as workers represented by Unite walk out for a week starting on Wednesday, August 24, through to August 31.
Cleansing workers represented by Unison will strike in two waves starting for four days on Friday, August 26, and again on Wednesday, September 7.
School and early years staff represented by Unison will be on strike on Tuesday, September 6, Wednesday, September 7 and Thursday, September 8.
150 workers in schools represented by GMB will walk out on Tuesday, September 6, for three consecutive days.
Edinburgh
Waste services will be disrupted and schools may close after Unite and GMB members balloted to strike.
Waste workers in the capital began striking on Thursday, August 18, during the Edinburgh festivals. Industrial action is set to continue until the day following the end of the planned events on August 30.
Falkirk
Waste services will be disrupted after Unite and GMB members balloted to strike.
All waste services will be hit by strikes as workers represented by Unite walk out for a week starting on Wednesday, August 24, through to August 31.
Cleansing staff who are members of GMB will take part in two four-day strikes from Friday, August 26, until Monday, August 29, and from Wednesday, September 7, until Saturday, September 10.
Fife
Waste service Unite members balloted to strike but no dates have been confirmed.
Glasgow
Waste services will be disrupted and schools will close after Unison, GMB and Unite members balloted to strike.
All waste services will be hit by strikes as workers represented by Unite walk out for a week starting on Wednesday, August 24, through to August 31.
Cleansing workers represented by Unison will strike in two waves starting for four days on Friday, August 26, and again on Wednesday, September 7.
Cleansing staff who are members of GMB will take part in two four-day strikes from Friday, August 26, until Monday, August 29, and from Wednesday, September 7, until Saturday, September 10.
School and early years staff represented by Unison will be on strike on Tuesday, September 6, Wednesday, September 7 and Thursday, September 8.
1,200 workers in schools represented by GMB will walk out on Tuesday, September 6, for three consecutive days.
Highland
Waste services will be disrupted after Unite and GMB members balloted to strike.
All waste services will be hit by strikes as workers represented by Unite walk out for a week starting on Wednesday, August 24, through to August 31.
Cleansing staff who are members of GMB will take part in two four-day strikes from Friday, August 26, until Monday, August 29, and from Wednesday, September 7, until Saturday, September 10.
Inverclyde
Waste services will be disrupted and schools will close after Unison and Unite members balloted to strike.
All waste services will be hit by strikes as workers represented by Unite walk out for a week starting on Wednesday, August 24, through to August 31.
Cleansing workers represented by Unison will strike in two waves starting for four days on Friday, August 26, and again on Wednesday, September 7.
Cleansing staff who are members of GMB will take part in two four-day strikes from Friday, August 26, until Monday, August 29, and from Wednesday, September 7, until Saturday, September 10.
School and early years staff represented by Unison will be on strike on Tuesday, September 6, Wednesday, September 7 and Thursday, September 8.
Midlothian
Cleansing staff who are members of GMB will take part in two four-day strikes from Friday, August 26, until Monday, August 29, and from Wednesday, September 7, until Saturday, September 10.
Moray
No strike action is currently planned.
North Ayrshire
Waste services represented by Unite balloted to strike but no dates have been confirmed.
North Lanarkshire
Waste services will be disrupted and schools will close after Unison, GMB and Unite members balloted to strike.
Cleansing workers represented by Unison will strike in two waves starting for four days on Friday, August 26, and again on Wednesday, September 7.
Cleansing staff who are members of GMB will take part in two four-day strikes from Friday, August 26, until Monday, August 29, and from Wednesday, September 7, until Saturday, September 10.
School and early years staff represented by Unison will be on strike on Tuesday, September 6, Wednesday, September 7 and Thursday, September 8.
Orkney
Waste services will be disrupted and schools will close after Unison, Unite and GMB members balloted to strike.
School and early years staff represented by Unison will be on strike on Tuesday, September 6, Wednesday, September 7 and Thursday, September 8.
Cleansing staff who are members of GMB will take part in two four-day strikes from Friday, August 26, until Monday, August 29, and from Wednesday, September 7, until Saturday, September 10.
Perth and Kinross
Schools may close after Unite members of Tayside Contracts which operates in Perth and Kinross balloted to strike.
Cleansing staff who are members of GMB will take part in two four-day strikes from Friday, August 26, until Monday, August 29, and from Wednesday, September 7, until Saturday, September 10.
Renfrewshire
Waste service and school workers represented by Unite and GMB balloted to strike but no dates have been confirmed.
Scottish Borders
No strike action is currently planned.
Shetland
No strike action is currently planned.
South Ayrshire
Waste services will be disrupted after Unite and GMB members balloted to strike.
All waste services will be hit by strikes as workers represented by Unite walk out for a week starting on Wednesday, August 24, through to August 31.
Cleansing staff who are members of GMB will take part in two four-day strikes from Friday, August 26, until Monday, August 29, and from Wednesday, September 7, until Saturday, September 10.
South Lanarkshire
Waste services will be disrupted and schools will close after Unison, GMB and Unite members balloted to strike.
All waste services will be hit by strikes as workers represented by Unite walk out for a week starting on Wednesday, August 24, through to August 31.
Cleansing workers represented by Unison will strike in two waves starting for four days on Friday, August 26, and again on Wednesday, September 7.
Cleansing staff who are members of GMB will take part in two four-day strikes from Friday, August 26, until Monday, August 29, and from Wednesday, September 7, until Saturday, September 10.
School and early years staff represented by Unison will be on strike on Tuesday, September 6, Wednesday, September 7 and Thursday, September 8.
Stirling
Waste services will be disrupted and schools will close after Unison members balloted to strike.
Cleansing workers represented by Unison will strike in two waves starting for four days on Friday, August 26, and again on Wednesday, September 7.
School and early years staff represented by Unison will be on strike on Tuesday, September 6, Wednesday, September 7 and Thursday, September 8.
West Dunbartonshire
No strike action is currently planned.
West Lothian
Waste services will be disrupted and schools may close after Unite members balloted to strike.
All waste services will be hit by strikes as workers represented by Unite walk out for a week starting on Wednesday, August 24, through to August 31.
Cleansing staff who are members of GMB will take part in two four-day strikes from Friday, August 26, until Monday, August 29, and from Wednesday, September 7, until Saturday, September 10.
What does Cosla say?
COSLA resources spokesperson, councillor Katie Hagmann, said the body has “done everything possible” to put forward the best offer it can.
“As council leaders have said consistently – we absolutely value and are grateful to our workforce,” she said.
“We fully understand that our trade union colleagues want the best possible deal for their members – especially given the concerns many within our workforce have around the cost of living crisis we are currently facing.
“That is why we as employers have done everything possible to put the best offer we can to them in the context of the extremely challenging financial circumstances Scotland’s councils have been and are continuing to face.”
Previously the organisation said a new firm offer had been put to unions and it hoped they would consult their membership on it.
Scottish Government holds emergency talks with COSLA and unions
Deputy first minister and acting finance secretary John Swinney has urged local authority leaders to engage in talks to resolve the issue.
He met with both COSLA and the trade unions separately on Wednesday. Unite said the unions were told Swinney would engage with councils to “facilitate funding” but that this would not come directly from the Scottish Government.
Asked about the impact of the strike in Edinburgh, the deputy first minister said: “I think the condition of the city of Edinburgh just now is deeply concerning on a host of levels, not least in relation to public health.
“So I acknowledge the significance of the issue which is why I want to see the industrial action resolved, why I would prefer it didn’t spread to other parts of the country.”
He stressed the Scottish Government had already provided £140m to councils – with this cash helping fund the improved offer of 5%.
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