Hundreds march to city pay rally

By Joanne Macaulay
BBC Scotland

The marchers travelled along Princes Street

Hundreds of council workers have marched through the centre of Edinburgh in protest at their 2.5% pay offer.

Waving banners and chanting slogans, they marched from the City Chambers, down the Mound, along Princes Street and into Princes Street Gardens.

They then held a rally at 1330 BST, and demanded local government employer, Cosla raise its offer.

Those attending represented a wide range of jobs, including road-workers, school staff and nursery nurses.

Care workers George McDougall, 54, and Ann Todd, 60, travelled from Glasgow to attend the rally.

Mr McDougall, said: ''It's a stressful and emotional job'', said: "What Cosla is offering is essentially a pay cut. We're already on a low wage and we need a bigger rise just to stand still."

A group of pipers lead the march into the bandstand in Princes Street Gardens, where representatives from the unions involved in the strike addressed the crowd.

'Huge pressure'

Unison representative Douglas Black said he hoped the stoppage would bring Cosla to the negotiation table.

He said: "The message to the employers is the money is there and Cosla should use it for your biggest resource which is your staff.

"We would hope there isn't a need for further action after today. However if the employers don't come back to the negotiating table and speak to us in a proper manner we'll certainly consider further action."

But Cosla spokesman councillor Michael Cook called for a reality check.

He said: ''Councils have to manage resources prudently. They've budgeted for 2.5% for pay rises and anything above that will represent a huge pressure in the system.

''The only way we'll resolve this is by discussion.''