Two of Scotland’s largest unions have hit back at ‘cynical’ and ‘grotesque’ messaging from Government ministers, accusing them of attempting to pitch working class people against each other.

Following the Scottish Government’s announcement to provide a sum of £77.5 million to prevent eight days of bin strikes across the country, First Minister John Swinney and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government Shona Robison have said the bailout is going to mean cuts elsewhere.

Mr Swinney warned that the government intervention in the dispute between unions and Cosla meant that “very difficult choices” would have to be made down the line and that the government is “going to have to reduce other programmes” to fund the bin strike aversion.

Ms Robison also confirmed last week that there will be a public sector recruitment freeze in all but “essential frontline” posts and that Scotland would follow the UK government in no longer providing winter fuel payments to all pensioners.

The Secretaries of Unison and GMB have now hit back at the announcements made by the Scottish Government accusing them of blaming public sector workers for public service cuts, and criticised the timing of the announcements.

Unison has been recommending to members that the new offer by COSLA, funded by the Scottish Government is still not enough, while Unite has recommended members accept. GMB said the new offer was a ‘significant improvement but didn’t confirm if it had recommended members to accept the new offer.

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In an exclusive interview with The Herald, Unison Secretary Lilian Macer said it is unacceptable to blame local government workers considering they have taken a real-term pay cut of 26% since 2010.

She said: “It is completely cynical to blame low paid workers for any cuts to services.

“[Rejecting this pay offer] is not something we do lightly. We understand we’re asking members to take industrial action and that action is going to impact low paid communities in Scotland.

“However, we are faced with a position and a government that thinks that it is absolutely fine to blame those low-paid workers for inflation, for austerity, and other cuts that they're going to impose on communities in Scotland.

Unison has been recommending to members that the new offer by COSLA, funded by the Scottish Government is still not enough.Unison has been recommending to members that the new offer by COSLA, funded by the Scottish Government is still not enough. (Image: Julie Broadfoot)

“The same low-paid workers, for example, where we see potential cuts to school meals, the low paid women who are working and delivering those school meals are now being blamed for those cuts. That's completely unacceptable, deplorable and a cynical move by government to force the blame on those members.”

Louise Gilmour, GMB Scotland secretary, said the timing and tone of the Scottish Government’s announcement of spending curbs will have dismayed council workers and angered voters.

She said: “Council workers have been forced to wait for months for a potentially acceptable pay offer largely because ministers refused to get involved.

“For an offer to be made at last but then immediately followed by the Scottish Government rushing to announce a spending freeze is beyond the pale.

“To cut the Winter Fuel Payment at the same time to somehow suggest council workers getting a pay rise means pensioners’ will go cold this winter is grotesque.

“The implication that a public sector pay rise is to blame for the loss of lifeline benefits and services is a cheap trick and as untrue as it is offensive.

GMB Secretary described the implications of ScotGov's messaging as 'grotesque'GMB Secretary described the implications of ScotGov's messaging as 'grotesque' (Image: PA/Andrew Cawley)

“Experts have already questioned the government’s own planning and culpability and wherever blame lies for the pressures on public finances it is not with our members.

“Workers in the public sector deserve to be paid fairly, just like those in the private sector, just like politicians.

“Government is about priorities and if ministers do not believe paying council workers fairly is a priority, then they should say so.

“If they believe freezing council tax, for example, is more of a priority then they should stop using workers as human shields.”

Unison has also suggested that reversing the council tax freeze could act as a financial lever. Over the last 10 years the union has also produced 25 reports warning of staff shortages in local government and the impact it would have.

Ms Macer added that as time goes on, the public is beginning to see through the excuses.

She added: “There are consequences to this. If you don't pay your public sector workers a fair and decent rate, then they will move somewhere else, they will not be spending the money in their local communities either, which impacts the local economy.

“So, whilst the public sector is being blamed for austerity, I think the Scottish Government is using an old tactic, where you pitch worker against worker, where you pitch public sector against the private sector.

“That's not washing anymore with the public. People are seeing through it, seeing through the old arguments, that we're all in this together, when they know they're not.

“Public sector workers losing 26% of pay. Where else do we see that? Nowhere.

“This attack on public services needs to stop. And quite frankly, I thought the Scottish Government was better than that.”

In response to the Unions, Shona Robison pointed to the UK Government for ‘imposing austerity’ but said the Scottish Government has done everything in its power to give council workers a fair pay.

She said: “We simply do not recognise these criticisms. The Scottish Government has done everything possible to ensure local government employees get fair pay awards every year.

 “Thanks to our enhanced contribution, the offer now before Unison, GMB and Unite local government members will support an above-inflation pay increase for all, worth an average of 4.27%. Those on the lowest pay will get 5.63%. This revised deal is once again better than the offer to local government workers in the rest of the UK.

“It’s clear that the funding available for Scottish public services has been impacted by the austerity imposed on Scotland by the previous UK Government. We would hope that Unison and other trade unions will join us in urging the new administration to change tack, giving Scotland the funding we need to improve public services and support public sector workers.”