Bin strikes in Fife: Refuse workers in Fife set to join strikes over pay

The news comes as the union’s members in waste services in 14 councils across Scotland are currently taking strike action in a dispute over pay.

Industrial action in Edinburgh has already seen rubbish pile up on the streets of the capital, and on Wednesday, union members from other councils walked out.

Members of Unite the Union, Unison and the GMB all turned down an initial pay offer of two per cent and an increased offer of 3.5 per cent last week.

On Tuesday, Unite confirmed that its local government committee rejected outright the current five per cent pay offer from COSLA.

Talks involving the trade unions with the Deputy First Minister took place on Wednesday and despite being ‘constructive’ there was no breakthrough, and there remains no new offer on the table.

Unite has now confirmed that members in a further five council areas – including Fife – are set to join a second phase of strike action over eight days from September 6 to 13.

Notice of strike action has been served to these local authorities.

Furthermore, Unite’s members in schools and early years services in some parts of the country – Angus, Dundee, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire – are scheduled to take three days of strike action early in September.

Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: “Unite’s members across local government are taking strike action because the politicians have failed them miserably.

"We now plan to spread this action across 20 councils in education and waste services.

"For five months COSLA and the Scottish Government have dithered and bickered with each other while our members have increasingly faced a cost of living crisis.

"We will fully support them in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”

Unite estimates that more than 2,000 members will be involved in the coordinated and targeted strike action involving education and waste services across Scotland.

Wendy Dunsmore, Unite industrial officer, added: “Unite will now deepen and spread our strike action across two thirds of the country.

"This is a direct response to the abject failure by both COSLA and the Scottish Government to fund a fair pay offer particularly for the lowest paid.

"It’s a disgrace that schools and early years services now face closure causing further disruption to families.

"The politicians need to get a grip of this situation which they have let happen due to their politicking and stalling.

"It’s time for the politicians to realise the gravity of this dispute and take responsibility before this situation dramatically escalates.”