Pay and pension victories

New Scottish TUC figures released ahead of its annual Congress in Dundee last month revealed a "staggering" £4.4 billion won in pay and pensions over the past 24 months of industrial action.

The research also showed that had workers accepted the initial offers from their employers, they would be worse off to the tune of £3 billion.

And STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: “It’s not just about pay, it’s about those who use the services we deliver.”

The figures came as unions across the UK announced further strike action.

For example, members of the Prospect specialists’ and Unite general unions based at the Dounreay power station in Caithness were set to strike over pay this month.

The GMB general union said hundreds of gas emergency workers would strike across Yorkshire in a dispute over safety and a failure to implement improvements to terms and conditions at Northern Gas Network.

Members of the PCS public and commercial services union at National Museums Liverpool, who had already taken 56 days of strike action, will strike for a further 30 days in a dispute over an unpaid cost-of-living payment.

And thousands of junior doctors in Wales took part in a third round of strike action over their pay.

The BMA doctors’ union said more than 3,000 doctors were expected to take part in the 96-hour walkout.