GMB welcomes commitment to living wage in latest offer on pay from Scottish local government but has concerns on falling living standards
We have just received notification of this latest offer we will need to consult with our members to determine if this is acceptable says GMB
GMB Scotland, the union for local government workers, responded to the latest proposal on pay from the Scottish Local Government Organisation (COSLA).
GMB Scotland has welcomed the commitment to continue paying a Living Wage, but there is still a concern about falling Living Standards for Local Government workers in Scotland.
The new Proposal which extends the current One-Year Offer to a Two-Year Offer consisting of:
YEAR 1 a 1% Pay increase and the introduction of a Living Wage of £7.50 from 1st April 2013 to 31st March 2014.
YEAR 2 a 1% Pay increase and an increase in the Living Wage to £7.58 from April 2014 to March 2015, with a commitment to match any increase in the Living Wage from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Alex McLuckie, GMB Scotland Senior Organiser for Public Services said:
“We have just received notification of this latest offer. GMB will need to consult with our members to determine if this is acceptable.
However, GMB welcome the increase in the Living Wage. GMB Scotland fought long and hard to establish a Living Wage in Local Government and it is good to see it being continued into 2014/15.
Our concern on this and previous offers is the general increase. This is the fourth year that pay increases have lagged well behind the rate of inflation resulting in a significant drop in the living standards of Local Government workers in Scotland.We would like to see this addressed in any pay offer.”
