Council and rail unions step closer to COP26 strikes

Unions representing rail and council workers have confirmed plans for strike action during the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow.

Cleaners, refuse and recycling workers are among staff who could take industrial action from 8 November.

ScotRail could also be hit by strikes from 1 November after the RMT's AGM in Leeds rejected the latest pay offer.

The Scottish government has set a deadline of Wednesday for the rail union to accept its pay offer.

Ministers also said ScotRail will now go ahead and implement the pay rise for members of three other trade unions which accepted its offer, as well as non-unionised ScotRail workers.

Transport Minister Graeme Dey said the government was "utterly perplexed" at the RMT position while the union hit back at the "arbitrary" Wednesday deadline.

About 120 world leaders are expected to attend the crucial United Nations summit from 31 October to 12 November.

A joint trade union group, including Unison, Unite and the GMB, is seeking a £2,000 flat rate pay increase or 6%, whichever is greater, from Scotland's local authority umbrella body Cosla.

It has now notified councils that it will call on some school cleaners, caterers and janitors along with waste, recycling and maintenance staff to take "targeted" strike action during the second week of the summit.

Wendy Dunsmore, of Unite, said: "The incredible professionalism and sacrifice by local government workers has not been recognised during the Covid-19 pandemic."

Johanna Baxter, of Unison, said more than half of local government workers earned under £25,000 a year and many were at "breaking point".

Drew Duffy, of the GMB union, added: "It's been over 18 months since any of these key workers had a pay rise and that is a disgrace given the work they have done over the last 18 months."

Cosla has offered an £850 flat rate rise for the lowest paid staff and 2% for those paid less than £40,000 a year.

A spokesman said: "We appreciate everything that local government workers have been doing, and continue to do, to support people and communities during the pandemic and as we begin to recover. We continue with ongoing constructive negotiations."

Earlier, the AGM of the RMT union confirmed plans for strike action by ScotRail staff from 1 to 12 November, almost the entire duration of the summit.

The union described the offer of a 2.5% increase this year, 2,2% in 2022 and a one-off £300 bonus for staff working during the summit as "pitiful".

Three other rail unions, Unite, Aslef and the TSSA have already accepted the offer.

Transport Minister Graeme Dey said: "We remain utterly perplexed at the position the RMT leadership is taking here. While we think their action is misguided and does their members no favours, we, of course, respect the right of trade unions to do what they think is appropriate for their membership.

"But we are clear that this is a fair and good offer that will put cash in the pockets of rail workers who have worked hard during the pandemic. This is evidenced by the fact that the three other rail unions (Aslef, Unite and TSSA) have accepted it.

"ScotRail, with the full support of the Scottish government, has tried a number of times to reach a deal with the RMT leadership - as of yesterday, the offer being made to its members consisted of a 4.7% pay increase over this and next year, a £300 payment for COP26, an additional payment equivalent to three hours salary for booking on for a Rest Day shift for the rest of the year.

"That last enhancement was offered just yesterday, and we understood that we were close to agreement with negotiators apparently happy with the offer, RMT leaders have then moved the goalposts."

The RMT said it had been given an "arbitrary" deadline to accept the pay offer by Wednesday, but said strikes on both ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper services could still be avoided.

General secretary Mike Lynch said: "Our message to Nicola Sturgeon, Transport Scotland, Abellio and Serco is that there is still time to resolve the pay disputes but it requires some serious movement, the lifting of bogus deadlines and genuine talks."

Meanwhile, Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has invited Glasgow workers who plan on striking during COP26 to join her in a protest march through the city.

She said she would be taking part in the Climate Strike march from Kelvingrove Park to George Square.

She wrote on Twitter: "On Friday Nov 5 I'll join the climate strike in Glasgow - during #COP26 Climate justice also means social justice and that we leave no one behind.

"So we invite everyone, especially the workers striking in Glasgow, to join us. See you there!"

The COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow in November is seen as crucial if climate change is to be brought under control. Almost 200 countries are being asked for their plans to cut emissions, and it could lead to major changes to our everyday lives.