COUNCIL workers have used postcards to deliver a demand for “fair pay” to the Scottish Government.

The postcards are part of local government union UNISON’s ongoing campaign for an improved deal for council staff.

Union officials are in talks with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA) and the Scottish Government to press for more money for local government pay.

There is anger amongst UNISON members that, last year, teachers received a higher pay increase than other local government workers.

Now the union is fighting to ensure the same does not happen this year.

It insists the powers-that-be at Holyrood should value the contribution of all workers in local government equally.

Local government employers CoSLA has also written to the Scottish Government to ask for additional funds so it can ensure all local government workers receive the same pay rise.

Johanna Baxter, UNISON’s head of local government bargaining, said: “Thousands of UNISON members have written to John Swinney (Cabinet Secretary for Education), demanding that the Scottish Government give all local government workers the fair pay rise they deserve.

“When our members have lost 15 per cent of their salary over the past 10 years, due to zero or below inflation increases, it is untenable for the Scottish Government to treat some local authority workers as more deserving of a pay increase than others.

“If John Swinney wants to reduce the attainment gap in education, he cannot do it without the efforts of local authority employees.

“The Scottish Government must use some of their reported £453million under-spend to deliver additional cash to local authorities now.

“Our members deliver for all our local communities. They are our bin collectors, road sweepers, educators, early years workers, home care assistants and much more.

“They deserve a decent standard of living in return.”