Your local government ballot paper is being sent out to you.
The purple envelope will arrive with you in the next few days. Please look out for it and return the ballot by post as soon as you can.
We’re balloting for industrial action to fight for fair pay. We need a strong turnout to show we’re serious.
Unless at least 50% of members return their ballot papers, we can’t take action – even if 100% of us vote yes. Every vote counts and it’s important you have your say.
Vote to reject this pay offer and to strike
Our pay isn’t keeping up with the rising cost of living. Year on year we see the value of our pay decline. This is our chance to stand up and say it’s not acceptable.
That’s why UNISON is recommending you vote to reject this pay offer. We deserve better.
The ballot is paper-only with a prepaid return envelope, please post it back as soon as it arrives. It will arrive in a purple UNISON branded envelope.
If you have any questions, contact your branch
However you decide to vote, it is important we hear from you. Your vote is your voice. Let’s use it. Return your ballot as soon as you can.
UNISON General Secretary Christina McAnea
What is the pay offer?
In February COSLA offered 3% pay rise to all council staff. UNISON ran a consultation of all council staff in March.
Council workers voted in their tens of thousands to back industrial action in a dispute over pay. More than 92% of those who took part in a consultation voted in favour of strike.
Read why UNISON rejected COSLA’s pay offer
- 15 years of pay cuts ignored: They offered nothing to address the 20% pay drop many of you have suffered.
- £15 minimum: No real progress towards a living wage.
- Pay cut in disguise: With rising costs and inflation, this is a real-terms pay cut.
COSLA’s pay offer: the facts
This bargaining briefing gives the facts about COSLA’s pay offer of 17 February.
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- COSLA’s 3% pay offer is a real terms pay cut
- The basic cost of living continues to rise: 9% rent increases, 9.5% average council tax rises, another 4% rise in the energy price cap.
- The average public sector worker has seen a decline in the real value of their pay packet of 22% since 2009.
- COSLA’s offer does nothing to correct this.
Calculate how you have lost in pay since 2009
Since 2009, Local government pay has simply not kept up with rising costs of living.
- But what does that mean in cash terms exactly?
- How far are you behind?
- How much pay have you lost over those years?
Use this calculator to see how much you have lost
Questions and Answers
This Q&A leaflet set out the rationale as to why the offer was rejected and why it’s vital to vote.
By not voting, it sends a message to the employer that a real-terms pay cut of 3% is acceptable.
Update your contact details – your voice matters
It only takes a moment to do. You can go online at MY UNISON. You will need to log in but it is easy to do. Alternatively, phone UNISON Direct on 0800 0 857 857. If you’ve moved house or changed your email, phone number or workplace, please update your details.
Encourage your colleagues in UNISON to do the same. Your voice matters.
UNISON Scotland co-lead for local government David O’Connor said:
“Dedicated council staff have seen the value of their pay fall for more than a decade, as wages failed to keep pace with the cost of living.
“These workers deliver high-quality, vital services to communities, despite increasing pressures, dwindling resources and significant staffing shortages.
“Cosla’s offer only adds to the real financial hardship faced by employees, especially with rent, council tax and energy bills continuing to soar.
“Strike action is always a last resort, but local government workers have been underpaid and undervalued for far too long. Cosla and the Scottish government need to step up and offer a decent wage increase that reflects the value if these workers.”
UNISON’s pay claim
Summary of UNISON’s claim (submitted 17 January):
- One-year settlement: From 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.
- Increase: A 6.5% increase to all spinal column points and related allowances, crucial for restoring pay levels and making significant progress towards UNISON claim for a minimum pay rate of £15 per hour. .
- Parity: With other local government bargaining groups, ensuring no less than equal treatment.
The pay claim covers all council workers covered by SJC conditions.
If you have any questions about your pay please contact your local branch.
Posters, Leaflets and Resources
