Schools in Lanarkshire could stay shut after summer break as council workers back strike action

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Lanarkshire schools could stay shut after the summer holidays and rubbish could pile high after council staff voted for strike action amid a pay dispute.Workers at both North and South Lanarkshire Councils have rejected a "derisory" two per cent pay offer with cleaning services set to be impacted and schools set to be hit in early September.Unions Unite Scotland, Unison and the GMB all say what is on the table isn't acceptable for its members.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android They have been at loggerheads with councils for months and umbrella group COSLA say they cannot afford to increase the offer and have called on the Scottish Government to stump up more money.

School staff, including cleaners and janitors, as well as workers in waste and recycling services, have now backed strike action.Industrial action in refuse and waste services is expected to begin in mid-August.Johanna Baxter, head of local government at Unison, said: “COSLA leaders must put an improved offer on the table if we are to avoid large-scale disruption to council services across Scotland.“Council workers south of the border yesterday were offered a flat rate uplift of £1925, which for those on the lowest pay equates to a 10.5 per cent increase."You have to wonder why council workers north of the border have only been offered