This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/7470162.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Council workers to vote on strike | Council workers to vote on strike |
| (about 15 hours later) | |
| Local government workers in Scotland are to be balloted on whether to take industrial action over pay. | Local government workers in Scotland are to be balloted on whether to take industrial action over pay. |
| Their counterparts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have voted in favour of strike action after rejecting the 2.5% offer. | Their counterparts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have voted in favour of strike action after rejecting the 2.5% offer. |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the chancellor have both urged public sector workers to accept pay deals pegged to their 2% inflation target. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the chancellor have both urged public sector workers to accept pay deals pegged to their 2% inflation target. |
| The Scottish ballot is due to be held throughout July. | The Scottish ballot is due to be held throughout July. |
| Dougie Black of the Unison union said: "We have the result from England and Wales that shows a clear indication that our members will not accept the offer that is there from the employers. | Dougie Black of the Unison union said: "We have the result from England and Wales that shows a clear indication that our members will not accept the offer that is there from the employers. |
| 'Publicity stunt' | 'Publicity stunt' |
| "In Scotland we have separate bargaining arrangements and we are going to be balloting our members on an offer of 2.5% for each year for three years. | "In Scotland we have separate bargaining arrangements and we are going to be balloting our members on an offer of 2.5% for each year for three years. |
| "Our claim was for 5% or £1,000 - whichever is the greater. | "Our claim was for 5% or £1,000 - whichever is the greater. |
| "This is about the fact that many of our workers have had to accept below inflation awards for the past three or four years, so they are simply playing catch-up." | "This is about the fact that many of our workers have had to accept below inflation awards for the past three or four years, so they are simply playing catch-up." |
| Mr Black also claimed that, despite public statements saying they were still in negotiation, the Scottish local government employers Cosla had recently cancelled a negotiating meeting scheduled for Wednesday. | Mr Black also claimed that, despite public statements saying they were still in negotiation, the Scottish local government employers Cosla had recently cancelled a negotiating meeting scheduled for Wednesday. |
| Instead of meeting Cosla, the union will now stage a lobby of the organisation's offices. | Instead of meeting Cosla, the union will now stage a lobby of the organisation's offices. |
| Joe Di Paola, of Cosla, said: "We would much rather they were in the building negotiating than outside taking part in nothing more than a publicity stunt. | Joe Di Paola, of Cosla, said: "We would much rather they were in the building negotiating than outside taking part in nothing more than a publicity stunt. |
| "We did not cancel any negotiating meeting, on the contrary we have been keen to get them in for talks and are trying to arrange something for next week. | |
| "There has to be a degree of realism from the unions in their claim - councils are operating within limited resources and are acutely aware that any extra money for pay would have to come out of services." |