Title

HUMAN RESOURCES

Unison warns of looming strike as it awaits pay offer

Scotland’s largest local government union has warned strike preparations could begin next week amid growing tensions over pay.

Scotland's largest local government union has warned strike preparations could begin next week amid growing tensions over pay.

Unison, along with Unite, submitted the 2024-25 pay claim for local government workers in January but the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) has yet to respond.

The unions had urged council bosses to reply as close to the 1 April implementation date as possible.

Unison Scotland's local government chair Colette Hunter said: ‘It would appear that COSLA has learned nothing from last year's pay dispute.

‘The last thing anyone wants to do is take strike action, but if COSLA continues to ignore our pay claim then we may be left with no choice.'

COSLA said council leaders would meet on Friday to consider the claim.

Unison and Unite have called for an above-inflation increase for staff on the lowest pay as part of their aim for all local government workers to receive at least £15 an hour by April 2026.

The unions also asked for a pay rise of 7% or £1.60 an hour - whichever is greater.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Cheshire East faces 'significant' finance risk

By Joe Lepper | 16 October 2026

Financial sustainability ‘remains a significant corporate risk’ at Cheshire East Council, according to an update on its improvement and transformation delive...

HUMAN RESOURCES

EXCLUSIVE: Labour-led Brent and Barking and Dagenham miss out on first round of London homes cash

By Dan Peters | 15 October 2026

Labour-led Brent and Barking & Dagenham LBCs are understood to have failed to get anything from the first round of Whitehall’s £39bn affordable housing fund.

HUMAN RESOURCES

EXCLUSIVE: Chiefs push for councils to be viewed equally as Government seeks to rewire the state

By Dan Peters | 14 October 2026

Council chief executives have warned Whitehall that local authorities must be treated as equal partners as the Government plans to rewire the state.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Windsor and Maidenhead Council: Back from the brink

By Stephen Evans | 08 October 2026

Windsor and Maidenhead Council has changed from a council on the edge to one that is balancing budgets in-year, and delivering real change – while using exce...

Popular articles by Ellie Ames

-->