The chief of the council has made a plea to the Scottish Authorities for additional cash – warning residents “face a lack of public providers”.
Martin Rooney has written a letter to depute First Minister John Swinney and finance secretary Kate Forbes stating that the native authority wants more cash to pay employees a good wage.
He says regardless of a Scottish Authorities improve in money this yr, it nonetheless represents a “actual phrases reduce”.
Employees in faculties, early years and in waste and recycling providers throughout Scotland may go on strike in a row over pay after rejecting a two % pay provide.
A poll runs till at the moment (Tuesday) and can decide how employees wish to proceed, with the Scottish Authorities being urged to supply COSLA with more cash to stop a nationwide strike.
Within the letter, the Labour chief states: “On the COSLA leaders assembly in June the chief of Glasgow Metropolis Council proposed a 5 % improve in pay however this was conditional on the Scottish Authorities totally funding the extra three %.
“Sadly, it seems that so far, no formal provide has been submitted to the SJC [Scottish Joint Council], for his or her consideration.
“My understanding is that it is because the Scottish Authorities haven’t but agreed to fund the required three % of extra recurring funding.”
He warns: “With out the Scottish Authorities monetary assist, native residents will probably be confronted with the prospect of the lack of public providers as trades union members take industrial motion affecting things like waste assortment, early years, main faculties and secondary faculties.
“That is wholly unacceptable and will have a devastating affect on the educational and achievement of younger folks in Scotland.”
He goes on to say that the native authority wants monetary help to assist fund the native authorities pay rise, blaming the earlier SNP-led administration for leaving greater funding gaps for future years.
He mentioned: “The earlier SNP administration had left the council with numerous unfunded burdens for future years and had used up the council’s “free reserves” in setting the 2022/23 finances.
“This left the council with a forecast finances hole of £14m for monetary yr 2023/24 which, to be frank, we'll actually battle to shut with out a large adverse affect on each the standard and amount of providers we offer on behalf of the Scottish Authorities.
“West Dunbartonshire wants help with closing the £14m finances hole and with funding honest pay for all our native authorities employees.”
A Scottish Authorities spokesperson mentioned: “Regardless of continued financial uncertainty, the Scottish Authorities is offering an actual phrases improve of 6.3 % to native authority budgets this yr – regardless of cuts to Scotland’s general finances by the UK Authorities.
“Within the present monetary yr, the West Dunbartonshire Council will obtain £224.1million to fund important day-to-day providers, an 8.4 % improve in comparison with 2021-22.”