A "MEASLY" pay rise offer for council workers has been slammed as it has been revealed councillors are set to get a 21 per cent wage hike.
Trade unions Unite, GMB and UNISON will ballot their members on whether to accept an offer of a three per cent rise.
Workers will be asked to vote in a consultative ballot, which is a step before a formal industrial action ballot.
Meanwhile, West Dunbartonshire Council's leader is set to get a pay increase from £42,698 to £52,154.
Policy board convener and the chair of the integration joint board will see their remuneration increase from £30,746 to £36,885.
Additionally, regulatory board conveners and the leader of the largest opposition group will climb from £25,522 to £29,924 and councillors from £21,345 to £25,982.
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The adjustments follow an independent review of councillors’ pay by the Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee which reconvened in 2023 and reported to the Scottish Government last year.
The change to councillor salaries is expected to apply from April 1 – the same day the revised council tax charges are due to come into effect.
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At the recent budget meeting, councillors voted for cost-cutting options which included the axe of 13 school crossing patrollers, 18 Working 4U positions and a reduction in high school staff.
In a statement released by three unions, they say their workers are struggling amid a cost of living crisis and branded the pay offer as 'measly'.
It reads: "Recently here in West Dunbartonshire the administration hiked up council rent by eight per cent and also council tax by 11.5 per cent. This is against a backdrop of a cost of living crisis where food, energy and other bills are rising higher and higher. Our members tell us of significant in-work poverty.
"More and more of our workers are telling us that they are struggling to afford to be able to come to their work and to do their jobs.
"In West Dunbartonshire, the pain isn’t over yet for council workers as the ones who have dodged the axe this time face being subjected to restructures and redesigns which will see potential detriment to their pay or working conditions if they go through, so you are not lucky just to be in a job. We have a fight on here locally to maintain workers' conditions of service.
"Each of the trade unions submitted a pay demand for our members after nationwide consultation with members and branches. Our view is that the current offer of three per cent falls way short of this claim. Our members have also advised us that it’s not an acceptable offer."
A West Dunbartonshire Council spokesperson said: “Councillor pay is set nationally. The changes followed recommendations by the Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee and were approved by the Scottish Parliament.”
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