Council bosses ready for talks

7:46pm Wednesday 20th August 2008

Council bosses have insisted they are still prepared to talk to unions after an estimated 150,000 local government workers staged a one-day walkut over pay.

The walkout left schools closed in many areas, rubbish uncollected, ferry services disrupted, and other council facilities hit across the country.

Union leaders said 150,000 workers took part in the one-day strike over a pay offer of 2.5% for each of the next three years.

The offer, say unions, has been made "derisory" by the rising cost of living.

Michael Cook, spokesman for the local authority employers' group Cosla said talks were essential.

But Matt Smith, Scottish secretary of Unison, the main union involved, said some senior local authority figures appeared to have been "impressed" by backing for the strike and arguments about inflation.

The impact of the council strike varied across the country.

Hundreds of schools were closed while some of those which remained in operation, were only open to some age groups. Even when schools remained open, in many cases there were no school meals.

No trade waste was collected in Edinburgh city centre - but the city's parking attendants remained on duty.

Picket lines were set up at some Glasgow schools and primaries were shut but all the city's secondary schools remained open. All of the city's municipal car parks were open and there was a "limited" number of parking wardens.http://www.unison.org.uk/(Unison)