As thousands of local government workers entered their first day of strike action in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Matt Smith, the Scottish secretary of UNISON, said today that similar action was planned for Scotland, unless Scottish councils sat back down with the trade unions and renegotiated the pay offer they had made.

Smith has written to the 32 councillors who make up the employers’ side of the Scottish negotiating body urging them restart talks to avoid the kind of national disruption that is being experienced elsewhere.

UNISON’s local government members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland recently voted to take strike action today and tomorrow over a similar 2.45 per cent offer. UNISON’s 100,000 Scottish local government members are currently being balloted to ask if they will take similar strike action to their colleagues. Local council branches of Unite and the GMB are also balloting their members.

“I have written to all our regions elsewhere in the UK expressing our backing for their action and welcoming the solidarity our members are showing,” said Smith. “I have also indicated that we are heading for another ‘yes’ vote for strike action here in Scotland, and our 100,000 members will shortly be joining their colleagues.

“Our members deliver vital services here in Scotland; they empty our bins, they clean our schools, they care for our parks and look after our children. I’ve also written to the local councillors who represent the employers to say that if they want them to continue to do these things, then they should re-enter discussions so we can find a solution before disruption comes to Scotland.”