UNISON statement after leaving council pay talks with John Swinney, Deputy First Minister

24 August 2022

Johanna Baxter, UNISON head of local government said: “We have held detailed constructive talks with Deputy First Minister this evening at St Andrews House. We welcome that he listened to UNISON concerns and was keen to explore how he could support getting council pay talks pay back on track.
We were clear that we need to rethink not only the construction of the pay offer, so that those on the lowest incomes are fairly treated, we also need to explore ways in which we can increase the overall cash available to come to a fair offer.

There was a general agreement that only two negotiating meetings in eight months on pay was not acceptable, and better processes need to be put in place to facilitate finding speedier solutions on pay.
Although we do not have an offer today UNISON will continue to work with the Deputy First Minister and COSLA to find a way forward towards a solution that benefits all our members.”

Notes:

• UNISON is the largest trade union in local government.

• UNISON with the joint trade unions entered talks with Deputy First Minister this evening from 5.45pm until around 8pm to discuss how we could find a way forward on council pay talks.

• Meeting with DFM was at St Andrews House, Edinburgh and arranged after a joint letter with COSLA to the DFM asking for talks:. etter to deputy first minister: https://unison-scotland.org/wp-content/uploads/Joint-TU-Letter-to-DFM-and-CabSec-230822.pdf

• COSLA’s latest pay offer: https://unison-scotland.org/wp-content/uploads/22-08-23-SJC-Letter-of-Offer.pdf

• Link to yesterday’s press release: https://unison-scotland.org/no-agreement-reached-in-local-government-pay-talks-unison-calls-for-urgent-intervention-from-deputy-first-minister/

• Trade union pay claim is here: https://unison-scotland.org/wp-content/uploads/SJC-Pay-Claim-2022.pdf

  National Employers for local government services (UK) LOCAL GOVERNMENT PAY 2022 – pay offer: https://unison-scotland.org/wp-content/uploads/Emps-to-NJC-TUs-pay-offer-25Jul22.pdf

UNISON Contacts:
• Johanna Baxter, head of local government: 07817 120894
• Danny Phillips, communications officer: 07944 664110 / 0771 7715277
• Trisha Hamilton, communications officer: 07943 507307