Around 140 staff at an animal welfare charity are to be balloted over strike action in a dispute over pay.
Trade union Unite said its members at the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) have “empathetically rejected” a two-year pay offer which amounts to “a significant real terms pay cut”.
The union said that the offer is a 1.6% increase this year and a 2% increase next year, with workers saying they feel “undervalued and utterly let down”.
The Scottish SPCA, which has two main bases in Dunfermline and Glasgow and employed 452 people on average in 2024, became a real living wage employer last year but Unite has accused it of opting out of the voluntary scheme since.
Unite said its members also have wider concerns about understaffing which impacts staff morale and increased workloads.
The union said that workers have experienced an increase in demand during the first half of 2025, with calls from people considering handing over their pets totalling 2,400, a 19.5% rise on the previous year, while there was also a 62.5% increase in foster placements.
Unite: ‘Real-terms pay cut’
Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: “Unite’s members are on the frontline in ensuring the welfare of animals and people’s pets throughout Scotland.
“They deserve a fair pay deal not a real-terms pay cut which will force them into poverty.
“We will support our members all the way in their fight to secure better jobs, pay and conditions at the Scottish SPCA.”
Billy Thomson, Unite industrial officer, said: “For years the workers have been poorly paid which has seen their standard of living decline.
“The Scottish SPCA workers feel totally undervalued and utterly let down by management which is why we have no option but to go for strikes.”
The ballot for workers, who look after the general health of the animals as well as the feeding and cleaning, opened yesterday and will close on 17 September.
Charity ‘managing a deficit’
According to the charity’s recently filled accounts, its income was £23.6m in the 2024 calendar year while its costs were £22.7m. However, the charity recorded operating deficits in 2023 and 2022.
A spokesperson for the Scottish SPCA said: “As a charity, every decision we take must balance the needs of animals in our care, our colleagues and our generous supporters.
“We understand that Unite has proceeded with a formal ballot for industrial action. While this is not what we had hoped for, we respect union members’ right to follow due process.
“Like many charities, we are currently managing a deficit and must ensure our long-term sustainability so we can continue to protect Scotland’s animals for generations to come.
“Our priority remains the welfare of animals across Scotland and supporting our dedicated colleagues who deliver vital services every day. We remain committed to continued constructive discussions throughout this process.”
