MEMBERS of one of Scotland’s largest trade unions have accepted an improved pay offer after waste and cleansing staff suspended planned strikes for talks.

GMB Scotland has confirmed a ballot of members in councils showed 78 per cent of those voting supported a fresh deal with employers, offering an up to 5.6 per cent rise for frontline workers.

The offer from COSLA, which represents Scotland’s local authorities, came just before widespread strikes were due to go ahead earlier this month, with fears that rubbish could pile up on the streets.

Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland senior organiser in public services, confirmed the industrial action, suspended during the vote, would not go ahead.

However, he was critical of delays in bringing an agreement about.

Mr Greenway said: “Council leaders’ lack of urgency and stubborn refusal to ask the Scottish Government for support meant negotiations and uncertainty went on far longer than necessary.

“It should not take imminent strike action to deliver a fair offer but, while it came too late, the deal was above inflation for all staff and weighted to benefit frontline workers most.

“That was what the unions had asked for and, given that, it is no surprise our members accepted it.”

Unite and UNISON trade unions are still considering the offer, delivering a minimum rise of 3.6 per cent for all grades, it is understood.

UNISON has a sizable branch in the Wee County and also suspended the industrial action to consider the offer.

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GMB Scotland has criticised the Scottish Government, however, after ministers froze non-essential spending within 24 hours of the offer being made before warning of more cuts this week.

Mr Greenaway said: “Ministers implying a fair pay offer for our members means cuts to spending are only diverting attention from the real cause of the crisis in our public services.

“We have endured more than a decade of cuts not because of staff being paid fairly but because our governments, at Westminster and Holyrood, have failed to properly fund the public sector.

“Government is about choices but, when our public services are struggling to recruit and retain skilled staff, paying council staff fairly is not part of the problem but part of the solution.”

COSLA has not yet issued a statement on the development.

However, when the offer was made to the Scottish Joint Council workforce, Cllr Katie Hagman, COSLA resources spokesperson, said: “By fully utilising the funding council have at their disposal, and incorporating additional welcomed funding from the Scottish Government, we have been able to improve the pay offer without further risks to essential frontline jobs and services.”