Back-pay offer for council staff

Council staff could see significant back-pay payments

Thousands of council workers in Dumfries and Galloway could be in line for a seven-month back-pay package, if they vote to accept a wage deal.

Staff are likely to be balloted in the summer on the "single status" plans to tackle wage inequalities.

If they accept the new wage structure it could come into force on 31 October and be backdated to 1 April.

However, if the deal is rejected then the council could impose the plan in the autumn without any back-pay.

The majority of workers would see their salaries increased under the scheme.

Provisional timeline

However, a significant number would eventually see their wages go down after being "protected" at their current level for three years.

Public sector union Unison has said it believes the deal is the best that can be achieved by means of negotiation.

Union members will be balloted on the plans later this year after a series of road shows to explain the proposal.

A provisional timeline, which is subject to "fluctuation", would hope to see the pay deal implemented at the end of October.