FIFE Council workers will be balloted on industrial action after the rejection of a pay offer.

UNISON will ballot 70,000 local government members across every local authority in Scotland after a 77.6 per cent vote to reject the employers’ pay offer.

Regional organiser Dougie Black said: “If pay had even just risen with inflation a home care worker, for example, would be paid £19,900 a year when instead they are paid just £16,900; an early years’ worker would receive £24,100 instead of £20,400 and a library assistant would earn £26,400 instead of £22,400. And that’s just to keep up with the cost of living,” he said.

“Fair pay remains a priority. Our members are the cogs that keep local government services turning and they deserve to be treated fairly.”