Falkirk bin strikes over as staff vote to accept revised pay deal

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Council workers, including staff in Falkirk, have voted overwhelmingly to accept a pay offer made last month after strike action by council staff.

In brings to an end the threat of more strikes among targeted council staff across Scotland. In the Falkirk Council area, bins went unemptied and the council recycling centres were closed for several days during the nationwide action. Read more: Falkirk Council budget gap could lead to job losses and council tax rises Unite the Union said that 71 per cent of members had voted yes with just 29 per rejecting the deal.Unison saw 67 per cent of its members accepting the offer with 33 per cent against, with a turnout of 64 per cent.Johanna Baxter, UNISON Scotland head of local government said: “UNISON members have spoken and voted overwhelmingly to accept the improved pay offer and we will now press COSLA to get this money into members pay packets as quickly as possible."But let's be very clear – it was only because UNISON members took, and were prepared to take, industrial action that this improved pay offer was even made.

If they hadn’t stood up to their employer they would have been forced to accept a derisory two per cent increase."It was their collective strength that forced the Scottish Government to accept they had a role to play and come up with more money but it should never have got to that."The lesson the Scottish Government needs to take from this is that they need to fund local government, and the workers that serve our local communities, properly and UNISON will continue to lead the campaign for investment in councils and for staff to get the pay, reward and recognition they deserve.”Falkirk Live brings you the latest headlines from Falkirk and beyond.But did you