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Unions warn of ‘winter of discontent’ as council strike spreads across Scotland
Overflowing bins in the Grassmarket area of Edinburgh where cleansing workers from the City of Edinburgh Council are on the fourth day of eleven days of strike action

SCOTLAND could be headed for a “winter of discontent,” unions warned today as strikes spread in an increasingly bitter battle over local government pay.

Refuse workers in Edinburgh began nearly two weeks of walkouts last Thursday, timed to coincide with the capital’s extremely popular summer festival season.

But the action has now escalated, with colleagues in 13 other local authorities, including Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen, joining the strikes. Schools in some areas could also be forced to close by industrial action next month. 

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