Trade unions Unite and the GMB have suspended their plan for strike action by waste workers after a new pay offer from council leaders.

The proposed deal would see a 3.6 per cent increase for all grades of staff, with a rise of £1,292 for the lowest paid, equivalent to 5.63 per cent.

The bin strike would have affected North, South and Ayrshire Ayrshire waste collections and recycling centres.

Unite and the GMB had taken the weekend to consider the proposal which it will now put to its members. Unison are yet to announce a decision.

Staff in 26 of Scotland’s 32 council areas planned to walk out from August 14 – 22 after rejecting two previous wage increases made by local government body Cosla.

Graham McNab, Unite’s lead negotiator for local government, said "We believe that the new pay offer is credible. For the first time in years, it will mean all council workers receiving an above inflation increase.

“Unite will now suspend the eight days of strike action so a ballot can take place on the new offer.”

Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland senior organiser in public services, said: “This offer is a significant improvement on what came before but our members will decide if it is acceptable.

“It is better than that offered to council staff in England and Wales, would mean every worker receives a rise higher than the Retail Price Index and, importantly, is weighted to ensure frontline workers gain most.

“As a gesture of goodwill, we will suspend action until our members can vote on the offer.

“It should never have got to this stage, however, and Scotland’s council leaders have again shown an absolute lack of urgency or sense of realism.

“For months, we have been forced to waste time discussing a series of low-ball offers when it was already clear the Scottish Government needed to be at the table.

"The obvious reluctance of some council leaders to approach ministers has only caused needless uncertainty and threatened disruption. That is no way to run a railroad or conduct serious pay negotiations.”

Cosla made the new offer on Friday after the Scottish government found more money to help councils pay for it.

Finance Secretary Shona Robison had earlier warned it was at the "absolute limit of affordability".

The unions had previously been offered a 3.2 per cent rise, backdated to April.