Inverclyde Council leader Stephen McCabe has welcomed the conclusion of a pay deal for local government Scottish Joint Council (SJC) staff.

It follows an announcement from the local authority umbrella organisation, COSLA, that details of the pay award have been finalised.

The rise is worth around £2,000 or five percent per employee, whichever is larger, based on a 36-hour working week and includes an additional day’s annual leave on a recurring basis.

Staff who pay Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) fees will have those covered from this year onwards.

Councillor McCabe, who is also the council’s welfare and financial inclusion champion, said: “I’m glad that this pay deal has been concluded and that we can now go full steam ahead with getting money into the pockets of our staff as quickly as possible to help them deal with the cost of living crisis and as we head towards winter.

“Local government employees do a fantastic job day in, and day out delivering quality public services for communities here in Inverclyde and right across the country under challenging circumstances with council budgets constantly being squeezed.

“We’ve seen that over the last two years in particular when they have been quite simply outstanding working throughout the pandemic to support residents and often the most vulnerable in society.

“It’s a welcome relief for myself and my fellow council leaders, the trade unions and, of course, council employees themselves that this deal is now over the line.”

Commenting following a meeting of council leaders on Tuesday 25 October 2022, Councillor Katie Hagmann, COSLA’s resources spokesperson, said: “I am pleased to get this year’s pay deal for the local government workforce concluded and over the line. This now enables us to get money into the pockets of the workforce as quickly as we possibly can.

“This is a deal that clearly shows Scotland’s council leaders have listened to the very real concerns of our workforce and have responded positively.

“Council leaders have said consistently throughout these negotiations that we value the work of our local government workforce and are grateful for the difference they make within communities across Scotland.

“We also believe that it is a good deal which is about more than just pay. It is a package that includes an extra day’s holiday for SJC [Scottish Joint Council] staff on a recurring basis and payment of SSSC [Scottish Social Services Council] fees from this year onwards.”

For more information on the pay offer, visit https://www.cosla.gov.uk/news/2022/information-about-coslas-recent-pay-offer-to-local-government-workers-2nd-september.