FIFE Council care workers could be set for more strike action after a union confirmed it would be balloting its members across the country.
GMB Scotland say care workers across Scotland’s local authorities will be asked to vote after accusing council leaders of wasting time and inflicting uncertainty.
Union members have already voted overwhelmingly in a consultative ballot to back industrial action if no acceptable pay offer was received from local government body Cosla.
Council leaders were told yesterday the union’s members in home care and residential care will now formally vote on strike action after no offer was received despite assurances that one was imminent.
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Workers in other areas, including waste, may also be balloted on industrial action as council leaders reputedly discuss an offer of two per cent.
Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland senior organiser in public services, said: “This offer is already far too late and, from what we have heard, is almost certain to be far too low.
"Our members have already shown great patience but enough is enough.
“Council leaders must already suspect their offer will not be accepted but continue to waste time and inflict uncertainty.
“They claim to have no money but have made no serious attempt to persuade Scottish Government ministers to provide the money needed for a realistic, acceptable offer.
“They are leaving our members in limbo and Scots relying on frontline council services facing disruption."
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Mr Greenaway said their members in social care are among the lowest paid council workers delivering some of the most important frontline services.
“They deserve better than this," he added. "So do their colleagues and so does every Scot relying on them to deliver the services Scotland is built on.”
GMB Scotland members working in council social care will receive ballot papers on industrial action next week with the vote closing on June 19.
A Cosla spokesperson said they were “working hard to maintain a dialogue” with unions and workers, and has scheduled another meeting for next week.
The spokesperson added: “As our trade unions know, we are very close to making an offer, based on the mandate given by council leaders.
“We are doing all that we can to get the best possible offer on the table. It is important to reiterate that this is against the context of a flat-cash settlement from Scottish Government, which leaves very little room to manoeuvre without service reductions and job losses, which we want to avoid at all costs.”
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