CALLS have been made for a "seriously improved" pay offer to avert strike action which would see workers at local authorities across the country – including Fife Council – take place.

Fife Council workers have already agreed to strike action after rejecting a two per cent pay increase offered to them by local authority leaders COSLA.

A meeting on Friday failed to bring forward a new pay offer with unions warning industrial action was looming.

GMB Scotland Senior Organiser Keir Greenaway said: “The ongoing inaction on pay will only increase the anger and fear among our members – anger about the total lack of value being shown to them and fear about what the winter will bring.

“In the six months since the two per cent was rejected, staff have suffered badly in a cost-of-living crisis that’s now spiralling out of control.

"More of our members are affected by debt, fuel poverty, and hunger, and this will only get worse with further rises to inflation and energy bills."

The union chief said the failure to reach an agreement was "exposing a huge gulf" between political leaders and frontline workers. "It is shameful that swathes of our public services are delivered by people in working poverty and it’s disturbing that our political leaders won’t confront it," he added.

“This crisis will turn into a catastrophe for tens of thousands of key workers, and more councils will face more strikes, unless a significantly improved pay offer is tabled.”

Cosla say "constructive discussions" were held with the Scottish Government last week with further talks planned.

A spokesperson said: "Leaders met virtually today and at this meeting agreed that they needed further information.

“Given the importance of a pay award for our workforce, council leaders wanted to seek further clarification from both the Scottish Government and the UK Government and will reconvene in the next seven days to further consider this matter.”

Fife Council's Head of HR Sharon McKenzie confirmed that the council is aware of ​​Unite's plans for industrial action.

She added: "​​We are assessing the potential impact this could have on our services in Fife ​and will work ​to minimise the effect of this locally."