Disruption to services when Stirling Council workers walk out on strike is “inevitable”, according to the local authority’s chief executive.
Industrial action over plans to make staff work an extra hour every week and take a 0.5% pay cut will begin on Monday.
Trade union Unison, which represents half of Stirling Council’s 3,089 employees, has called a one-day strike after talks with senior managers and politicians broke down.
The local authority is cutting pay because it has to make saving of £24 million in four years after the Scottish Government slashed its budget by 12%.
Stirling Council chief executive Bob Jack said: “Unison members are being instructed to stage a one-day strike on Monday August 26 and Unite members are working to contract and refusing to work overtime from this weekend.
“The council regrets this action by trade unions and is very sorry for any inconvenience it may cause to the public. Managers will be doing everything possible to minimise disruption to the public and the running of council services.
“However, it is inevitable that there will be some disruption.”
Schools and main council offices will remain open but some libraries and smaller council buildings will be closed. Refuse collection could also be affected.
Bob Jack added: “We will be working hard to minimise any disruption to bin collections.
“We will review the situation on a day-by-day basis and the most up-to-date information will appear each day on our website.
“Collecting grey bins will be our priority during the industrial action.”
Unison insists the combination of a cut in wages and an additional hour in the working week is equivalent to a 4.5% salary reduction over the course of a year.
Branch secretary James Douglas said: “We have been left with no option but to proceed with a strike due to the savage cuts proposed by our employer.
“The council’s offer is insulting the combination of a pay cut and the requirement to work an extra 7.5 days a year, actually amounts to a 4.5% pay cut for the majority.
“This comes on top of a three-year pay freeze, which has meant a real terms pay cut of about 13%. And the proposal to move to a 37-hour week also means a reduction in hourly rate of pay for all, including the lowest paid.”
The union leader said he “regrets” industrial action and the disruption it will cause to services.
However, he insists that he has no alternative and accused Stirling Council of walking away from the negotiating table.
“We hope that a one-day strike will send a clear message to both Stirling Council and its management team that enough is enough,” he said.
“We believe that this will force the council to think again. The changes to terms and conditions affect all of us, therefore we need to stand together and be prepared to fight for our rights.”
Mr Jack has previously said that 40% of council staff have signed new contracts.
Unison accused the local authority of pressuring some workers into accepting the pay cut.
Mr Douglas said: “Staff have said that they feel intimidated and bullied into signing new contracts, as they believe that the letter implies that they will lose their jobs if they don’t sign.
“We have referred the issue of letters of dismissal to our legal team for their view of the letter and any action that can be taken.
“I have asked that the letter be withdrawn and that a new letter giving the full legal position be sent out to all staff.”