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

Government silence on planning fees control timeline

By Dan Peters | 02 April 2026

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has refused to indicate when councils will be enabled to fix their own planning fees.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Toil, then trouble on LGR

By Martin Ford | 02 April 2026

The Government has announced its decisions on new unitaries in four of the Devolution Priority Programme areas. But Essex CC is threatening legal action, cou...

HUMAN RESOURCES

Legal threat looms as counties oppose Whitehall LGR ruling

By Paul Marinko | 02 April 2026

Disgruntled county councils could slow down local government reorganisation with legal challenges to Whitehall’s verdict.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Councils look to pay to free up properties

By Neil Merrick | 30 March 2026

More local authorities are paying tenants to move into smaller homes.

Popular articles by Ellie Ames