Council Workers’ Pay Deal to be Implemented

Today (27th September), Council Leaders agreed that the Scottish Joint Council (SJC) pay offer, which has been accepted by GMB and Unite members, should be implemented to ensure employees receive their pay uplift and backpay without further delay.

Councillor Katie Hagmann, COSLA Resources Spokesperson, said:

“COSLA, Council leaders, highly value each member of our important workforce and their vital work serving Scotland’s communities every single day.

“The SJC pay award of 3.6% or £0.67 (whichever is higher) reflects this and offers a fair, above inflation and strong settlement for all of our employees. It is at the absolute limit of affordability in the extremely challenging financial context we face.

“The offer is worth 4.27% across the workforce and is aligned to the pay award for teaching staff, which has been agreed with the Teachers’ Panel. Importantly, Over 75% of the SJC workforce will receive an uplift above 3.6% - with up to 5.63% for the lowest paid at the request of all Trade Unions.

“We have engaged in constructive dialogue with our Trade Union partners throughout our pay negotiations. This offer, which has been accepted by GMB and Unite members, meets the collective requests of all the SJC Unions which was made in a joint letter to council Leaders on 31 July.

“Leaders have fully considered the views of our three Trade Unions, including the concerns expressed by GMB and Unite about the cost of living and financial pressures which continue to affect many across our workforce, and their desire for the offer to be implemented as soon as possible.

“In order to ensure all staff can receive their pay uplift and backpay without further delay, and acknowledging there is no option to increase the value of the offer, Council Leaders have agreed to implement the pay offer to our SJC, Craft and Chief Officials groups.

“This does not mean that discussions will end. COSLA remains fully committed to the negotiation process and we will continue dialogue with all our Trade Union partners, with the ambition reach a collective agreement, if at all possible."