GERRY BRAIDEN and HEATHER McLELLAN
More than 150,000 local government workers are expected to bring core services across Scotland to a standstill today in the biggest day of industrial action for several years.
Hundreds of schools, leisure centres and libraries across the country are due to close, with ferry services, burials and refuse collections cancelled, and social work and emergency services provided to only the most vulnerable in an unprecedented multi-union 24-hour strike over pay.
A further 5000 Scottish Government civil servants who are members of the Public and Commercial Services union are today taking a second day of strike action.
A separate row was also brewing last night between two of the main unions, Unison and Unite, and the charity set up to run Glasgow's civic art galleries, museums, sports centres and libraries over whether staff have the right to strike.
Culture and Sport Glasgow has insisted that as it is an independent charitable trust and not covered by the ballot of the 32 local authorities any walkout by staff would be illegal.
Although the GMB has written to its members within CSG urging them not to take part, Unite and Unison disagree with the position.
The dispute centres on a final offer made by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities in March which would see an annual 2.5% pay rise fixed for the next three years, with union leaders claiming the figure is derisory given that inflation is running at 4.4%.
The offer was the subject of a ballot by the trade unions and was rejected, the outcome announced on July 31.
According to the STUC, a public sector worker with take home pay of £200 a week would be between £50 and £60 a month worse off in real terms at the conclusion of the proposed three-year deals, with some employees "dangerously close" to the minimum wage.
The Scottish Government said it regretted the strike but said it was down to the unions and councils to sort out.
As well as the stoppages, a series of staggered pickets are planned for across the country during the day starting at the City of Edinburgh Council HQ at 7am and including Paisley, Inverurie, Motherwell, Livingston, Bathgate, Dundee, Inverness and Glasgow's George Square at 12.30pm.
In the country's biggest authority, Glasgow, all 169 primaries and 32 other schools catering for youngsters with physical or learning difficulties were expected to close as a result of having no janitorial staff, while in Aberdeen even the public toilets will shut.
The industrial action is expected to force the cancellation of Caledonian MacBrayne ferries at Rothesay and Dunoon piers, while the six council-run ferry services in Shetland will also be off.
Despite the disruption, the main unions were confident of public support.
Finance Minister John Swinney said: "This is an issue that affects our local authorities and members of their staff and it is for the unions and local authorities to agree a way to sort out the issues and to ensure there is no inconvenience to members of the public."
How the action will hit your area
Aberdeenshire - Many schools, libraries and leisure centres closed. No refuse
collection.
Aberdeen - Some schools closed. Libraries and
cultural services also closed. Care services to be carried out by duty officers.
Angus - All schools partially closed.
Argyll and Bute - Most schools open, but council-run transport and meals affected.
Borders - Some schools closed.
Clackmannanshire - All schools and day centres closed, no refuse collection.
Dumfries and Galloway - Most schools open. Emergency social work services available. Refuse may not be collected.
Dundee - Schools and nurseries closed, except two. Likely that all council offices and facilities will be closed. No refuse collection.
East Ayrshire - All schools closed, no refuse collection.
East Dunbartonshire - All council buildings, schools, libraries and community
centres closed.
East Lothian - Schools
open, emergency cover
available.
East Renfrewshire - All schools open, but no school meals or council transport. Home care, libraries and leisure all affected.
Edinburgh - School meals available in selected schools. No refuse collection. Some council buildings and facilities may be closed. Social care will be in place to protect the most vulnerable.
Falkirk - Community centres, libraries and leisure services closed. No refuse collection.
Fife - Local service centres, libraries and refuse collection will be disrupted.
Glasgow - No refuse
collections or recycling. Broadly expect primaries and nurseries to close while
secondaries remain open. Emergency social services available. In discussion to try to maximise available care services.
Highlands - Nether
Lochaber to Ardgour ferry
cancelled. No refuse
collections. Schools likely to be open, but catering affected. Home care services reduced.
Inverclyde - All schools open, but catering
services affected. All libraries and museums closed. Refuse probably not collected.
Midlothian - Most schools closed, all council and leisure services greatly reduced. No refuse collection or meals on wheels.
Moray - Most schools open, though some will not be able to provide meals. Libraries and leisure services should be open as normal. Meals on wheels may be limited.
North Ayrshire - All primaries open, some secondaries open. No school meals. Halls and community centres closed.
North Lanarkshire - All schools and school buses operating normally. No refuse collection. Most nurseries, special needs schools, libraries and museums closed.
Orkney - Care and ferry services operating as normal. Most schools will be open.
Perth and Kinross - All schools and nurseries closed. Social care as normal, but all day centres closed.
Renfrewshire - Council buildings, libraries, leisure services and museums closed. All primary schools open. No refuse collection. Reduced care service.
Shetland - Island ferries cancelled, unless emergency arises.
South Ayrshire - All schools and day centres closed. No refuse collection.
South Lanarkshire - Most schools closed. All nurseries closed. Libraries closed, no leisure services and no refuse collection. Residential services should operate as normal, but most day centres will be closed.
Stirling - Most schools should remain open, however there will be no school meals. Care services will operate on a reduced level.
West Dunbartonshire - All schools closed, no refuse collection, and all council buildings closed.
Western Isles - Most services, including libraries and leisure, will be closed. A reduced care service will be available.
West Lothian - Most schools open, but all nurseries and special needs schools closed. Day centres also closed. No refuse collection.
The public are urged to check their local council websites regularly for updates and information.
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