Council staff in Tayside and Fife who had threatened to strike over a pay dispute have accepted an improved offer.
The deal will see wages for the lowest-paid staff rise by 5.8%, according to the Unite union.
Members employed at several Scottish councils, including Dundee, Fife and Angus, have voted to support the latest offer from Cosla – the representative body for local authorities.
It comes after unions had threatened a five-day walkout, including refuse and recycling workers.
School janitors and cleaning staff were also set to walk out in Fife, though no school workers would have been involved in Dundee and Angus.
The strike was called off after the new pay offer was submitted, with members subsequently voting to accept it.
Unite says it welcomes the “significant” pay increase, but has warned it will keep pressure on Cosla to ensure pay increases are not a “one-year wonder”.
The offer includes a wage rise for about 250,000 workers across Scotland.
A 5.8% increase for lowest paid
Those on the lowest pay will see an increase of 5.8%, which Unite says will help to address poverty pay in local government.
All council staff will be paid a minimum rate of £9.78 per hour.
The union says the offer also includes a £850 flat-rate payment based on a 37-hour working week for those earning up to £25,000.
Unite claims Cosla has also made a commitment to discuss the costs of professional fees such as registration to the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).
Unite’s members were prepared to fight for a fair wage deal.”
Sharon Graham
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham, said: “The deal for local government workers across Scotland will ensure that the lowest paid will get a significant increase in their pay of 5.8%.
“Unite’s members were prepared to fight for a fair wage deal which addresses poverty pay in local government and this deal goes some way in that fight for justice.”
Wendy Dunsmore, Unite regional officer added: “Unite’s members have accepted this deal however pay increases are not a one-year wonder.
‘Campaign for 2022 starts now’
“We will keep the pressure on Cosla and the Scottish Government to improve the standards of living for all local authorities’ workers.
“Unite’s campaign for 2022 starts now and we will not tolerate the nonsense of waiting months at a time for offers.
“This should be a warning shot to both Cosla and the Scottish Government that for too long there has been a reliance on local government workers putting up with little or no pay rises, and this has to stop.”
Cosla has been approached for comment.
