A UNION has warned a cull of jobs and services will hit public services across Scotland to pay for a rejected new local authority staff wage offer that has led to strikes and closed schools across Scotland.

Unison, the biggest local government union, has revealed that the prospect of widespread cuts was one of the reasons that they could not reach an agreement.

Both Unite and the GMB union suspended their action while members were consulted but the stoppage by members of Unison has still led to widespread school closures.

But as Unison's three-day stoppage, that has closed hundreds of schools in Scotland, came to an end on Thursday it has emerged that the action could end up being widened.

Unison is concerned that a further £84m had been 'reprofiled' from local authority budgets to pay for the amended offer which is estimated to be worth nearly £580m. Unison believes that just £155m that is on the table has come from the Scottish Government with the rest coming from local authority budgets.

Unison's strike which included over 21,000 across 24 local authorities with 2000 schools affected.

The union remains concerned over the money being ploughed into the pay offer which it says is coming off other local authority budgets and not from extra money from the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government insists there would be no impact on jobs or services.

The councils association, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) urged Unison to reconsider pressing ahead with any further action.

COSLA had confirmed that the 'best and final' offer involved "working tirelessly...to review, reprioritise, restructure and reprofile money ensuring the impact on our communities is minimised".

They have said there will be delays to programmes and projects within communities to meet these pay demands"

Johanna Baxter, Unison's local government negotiator said: "The extra money has come from COSLA shifting around local authority budgets, which they said would result in further cuts to jobs and services. That is one of the reasons we are rejecting and have taken strike action. They are essentially giving a revised offer which means more job cuts.

"They were very clear to us that is what is happening, because there has been no additional funding put in from the Scottish Government beyond what was in the original pay offer.

The Herald:

"They will talk about £155m to the April pay offer, then they talk about reprofiling of money that results in additional £90m, that means from one council budget area to another which means cuts."

Unison began the industrial action on Tuesday with primary and secondary schools across the country affected. The union said up to 21,000 of its members working in over 1,800 schools across 24 Scottish council areas walked out amid a pay dispute.

Thousands of pupils were forced to stay at home across the country as many schools had to close as a result of the industrial action.

The impact of the strike varied significantly across the 24 areas where Unison is striking - with all primary and secondary schools in Edinburgh closed while in Glasgow 29 secondaries were to remain open to S4, 5 and 6 students.

In Aberdeenshire, 39 schools closed with 21 partially closed. The council said 66 early learning centres and nurseries also shut.

It is understood Unison is to have a consultative digital ballot of members with a recommendation to reject the latest pay offer.

No decision has been made about further strikes, although it is understood that they are being planned.

An option is to ballot another part of the local government workforce for strike action.

It is understood the union believes the mood music is that they would reject the offer and continue with strikes.

Unison said the pay offer was "too little and way too late".

The dispute is over a pay offer for non-teaching staff including janitors, canteen workers, classroom assistants, cleaners, admin staff and nursery staff.

The new offer represented a minimum wage increase of £2,006 for those on the Scottish government's living wage and a minimum increase of £1,929 for workers who are earning above the living wage.

The living wage of £10.85 will rise to £11.89 under the new offer, equivalent to a 9.6% increase.

The Herald: Deputy first minister Shona Robison

Deputy First Minister Shona Robison said: “There will be no detrimental impact on jobs or services as a result of this additional funding. We have worked constructively in partnership with COSLA and councils to find a solution, facilitated by an additional £80 million of funding and flexibility from the Scottish Government.

“Despite UK Government cuts, the Scottish Government had already provided £155 million in 2023-24 to support a meaningful pay rise for local government workers, and provided assurances over funding in 2024-25.

“Local government pay negotiations are a matter for local authorities as employers and unions. The Scottish Government and COSLA have committed to respect this negotiating arrangement as part of the Verity House Agreement. We would encourage those involved to continue negotiations in the hope that a resolution can be found.

“Scottish Government and COSLA will continue to work together to minimise disruption for all affected areas. Affected local authorities will ensure that schools and learning establishments remain open as far as is practical, taking into consideration staffing levels and individual establishment risk assessments.”

A COSLA spokesman said: COSLA has made every effort to avert these strikes – we have listened to our Trade Unions, met their asks and worked with Scottish Government to put an incredibly strong half a billion pound pay package on the table.

“Strikes are in nobody’s interests and benefit no-one, least of all children and young people and their families.

“Two out of the three Trade Unions suspended their action and have agreed to put the offer to their members – I would ask Unison to reconsider pressing ahead with this damaging action and allow their members to consider this offer.”