A pay dispute between council workers and local authority bosses has been ramped up.
The Unison union has begun balloting thousands of staff, including in Dumfries and Galloway, over the possibility of strike action after claiming they have only been offered a two per cent pay increase by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.
Waste and recycling staff are being balloted first and strike action could begin as early as July.
Workers in schools and social care will get their papers later in the summer.
Unison Scotland’s local government committee chair, Colette Hunter, said: “Council staff should have received a cost of living pay rise last month.
“But the offer is miles away from the level staff deserve.
“There seems no other option but to begin strike ballots. Workers aren’t willing to put up with long delays.
“Council waste and recycling staff will receive official strike ballots through the post very soon. Unless COSLA comes up with a fair pay offer it looks like strikes will be going ahead.”
A COSLA spokesman said: “Learning from the last few years, we are working hard to maintain a dialogue with our SJC trade unions partners, whilst we explore all avenues.
“We are doing all that we can to get the best possible offer on the table. It is important to reiterate that this is against the context of a flat-cash settlement from Scottish Government, which leaves very little room to manoeuvre without service reductions and job losses, which we want to avoid at all costs.
“We understand our unions’ frustrations over the difficulties in getting a realistic pay offer to them given the constraints noted above.
“We remain committed to doing the best by our workforce, who deliver essential local services in every community across Scotland.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Local government pay negotiations are a matter for unions and local authorities as the employers.
“Ministers recognise the crucial role councils and their employees play in communities across Scotland.
“That’s why, despite UK Government cuts, this year the Scottish Government has made available over £14 billion to local councils – a real-terms increase of 2.5 per cent compared with the previous year.
“The Scottish Government urges all the parties involved to work together constructively to reach an agreement which is fair for the workforce and affordable for employers.”
