COUNCIL workers across Dumfries and Galloway are being balloted for strike action this week.
Members of UNISON, including workers in schools, early years and family centres, are being asked to decide about taking possible industrial action in a dispute over pay.
If workers back industrial action in the ballot there could be mass walkouts across the country in early September.
The union is already balloting waste, recycling and street-cleaning staff, in a vote which closed on Wednesday.
The pay dispute, over what UNISON says is an inadequate pay offer, affects all council workers in Scotland.
Local authority organisation Cosla has made a two-stage offer, which would operate over an 18-month period. This would give a 2.2 per cent increase for the first six months and an additional two per cent for the subsequent 12 months, until September next year.
Commenting on the latest move, UNISON Scotland local government committee chair Colette Hunter said: “Cosla’s lack of engagement on pay is bitterly disappointing.
“Local government workers firmly rejected Cosla’s offer in a consultation earlier in the year. There should have been talks way before now. It doesn’t show any great desire to resolve this dispute.
“Local government workers were due a pay rise at the beginning of April and are becoming increasingly disillusioned. They feel undervalued, and the delays will do nothing to fix the recruitment and retention issues we have within local government.”
UNISON Scotland lead for local government David O’Connor added: “No one wants to take strike action. It’s always a last resort.
“Workers are simply asking for a pay deal that addresses below-inflation pay settlements, which have reduced the value of staff wages by a quarter over the past 14 years. Council workers deserve to be paid wages reflecting their essential roles.”
