Essential faculty workers together with cleaners, janitors and help employees have been locked in a pay dispute, with a brand new provide estimated to price £580 million.
However, it has break up commerce unions, with two others presenting it to members to vote on – with Mr Yousaf urging Unison to rethink.
GMB Scotland stated the provide is “not perfect but it is a clear improvement” and moved to droop strikes, together with Unite.
The further funds have been beforehand “ringfenced”, and GMB Scotland stated Cosla can be held to its assurance that no companies will likely be minimize to fund the pay provide.
Mr Yousaf stated “we have been engaged with Cosla right throughout this process” and insisted flexibility had been given to supply further funds.
But the Scottish Government was urged to “work flat-out to avert strikes” by the Scottish Tories.
The new provide represents a minimal wage enhance of £2,006 for these on the Scottish Government’s residing wage and a minimal enhance of £1,929 for employees who’re incomes above the residing wage.
The residing wage of £10.85 will rise to £11.89 below the brand new provide, equal to a 9.6% enhance.
Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland senior organiser in public companies, stated: “The latest offer from Cosla is not perfect and came far too late, but it is a clear improvement on those that came before it.
I don’t think anybody could accuse the Scottish Government of not being involved alongside Cosla
“Each union will do what it thinks best for its members, but we have consistently demanded Cosla do most for the lowest-paid council workers suffering most during an enduring cost-of-living crisis.
“This offer would deliver significant improvements to council workers but particularly the lowest paid and, given that, it is absolutely right our members are now given the detail of that offer and asked to vote on it.”
Shadow cupboard secretary for finance and native authorities Liz Smith MSP stated: “The failure of talks means it seems inevitable this three-day strike will hit schools across most of Scotland.
“That will be hugely damaging for pupils and very inconvenient for parents but councils have very little room for manoeuvre, given the way their funding has been consistently undermined by the SNP government.
“Even the Scottish Government’s ‘new’ money to settle this dispute is nothing of the sort.
“It has simply been taken out of existing council budgets – so the SNP shouldn’t trumpet it as some kind of extra boost.
“The Scottish Government has to work flat-out to avert these damaging strikes.”
Asked if the Scottish Government might have carried out extra to stop faculty strikes, Mr Yousaf stated: “These are negotiations obviously for Cosla but we have been engaged with Cosla right throughout this process, providing additional funding, additional flexibility so more funding can be made available.
“I don’t think anybody could accuse the Scottish Government of not being involved alongside Cosla. But it is for Cosla to lead these negotiations.
“It is a very good offer, that is why a couple of unions of course have suspended strike action and will now consult members.
“There’s government involvement, government funding – it is a very good offer and I would urge Unison, who I understand continue to have concerns, to follow the other trade unions, suspend strike action and do a consultation with their members.
“I’ve got tremendous respect for Unison, I have dealt with Unison for many years in various different ministerial portfolios, most recently as health secretary. So I have got tremendous respect for Unison.
“I believe they are doing what they believe is in the best interests of their members but I would very politely to suggest that with the further detail we have provided over the weekend, I am hoping there is enough to give them reassurances, that particularly for the lowest paid, but for everybody across any of the pay bands this is a very good offer indeed.”
A spokesperson for Cosla stated: “This is a very strong offer that equates to 10% or £2,006 for the lowest paid at the request of the trade unions.
“Throughout these negotiations we have met every request of our trade union colleagues.”
Cosla’s assets spokesperson Katie Hagmann stated: “I am heartened both Unite and the GMB will suspend strike action whilst they consult with their membership on the pay package.
“We have met every ask of our trade union colleagues and this best and final offer which will see every single local government worker receive an in-year pay rise of between 6% and almost 10% on the basis that strikes would be suspended.
“We are talking about a pay package which not only compares well to other sectors but recognises the cost-of-living pressures on our workforce and which would mean the lowest paid would see an in-year uplift of over £2,000 or just under 10%.
“This is the best funding package that Scottish and Local Government can provide and I hope their members accept the offer.”
