A new pay offer for Local Authority workers was put to Trade Unions yesterday. Made in extremely challenging financial circumstances, this was the highest offer made in over a decade, COSLA said today (Wednesday 24th August).

Commenting, COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Katie Hagmann, said:

“As Council Leaders have said consistently - we absolutely value and are grateful to our workforce.

“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.

“The reality of this new offer is that the lowest paid 12% of our workforce will get more than a 5% increase meaning that those on the Scottish Local Government Living Wage will see an overall 7.36% increase. This amounts to one of, if not the best offer in decades for Scottish Local Government workers during some of the most trying times for Councils to continue to deliver the everyday essential services that our communities rely on.

“It is an offer made in good faith, which as far as we can in the current circumstances, tries to ensure that our lowest paid workers are protected from the cost of living crisis, raising the minimum hourly rate for the lowest paid within the workforce to £10.50 per hour. It seeks, as far as possible, to ensure sustainable long term secure employment. On that basis we look forward to continuing constructive discussions with our Trade Union partners.”