03.10.08
The fear of strikes at call centres across Scotland has been averted after the union is considering a provisional pay offer.
Staff at councils across the nation will not walk off the job, after the employers Confederation of Scottish Local Authorities offered a pay rise of three per cent for the first year and 2.5 per cent for the second.
Unison has said it is now suspending strike action as it launched a consultation process on the new offer, which affects thousands of council staff north of the border.
Dougie Black, Unison regional officer and lead negotiator, said he was "pleased" that after "fruitless negotiations" there is now a new offer.
"It is at a level that needs to go back to members to get their view. In the meantime we have agreed to suspend the selective action to allow this to happen," he added.
The Irish Independent recently reported that almost a quarter of staff at the National Roads Authority call centre in Newry left the job within a week of a new barrier-free tolling system being introduced, citing abuse from angry motorists as the reason for leaving.
