Around 140 members of the union Unite working at the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) are being balloted over industrial action over their pay dispute with management.

The ballot, opened this week and closes on 17 September, follows the charity’s union members rejecting a two year pay offer.

On offer is a 1.6% pay rise and a one-off payment of 2% this year, and only the same one off payment in 2026. This amounts to a “significant real terms pay cut”, says the union.

In July the rate of inflation, as measured by the consumer prices index, reached 3.8%.

“Unite’s members are on the frontline in ensuring the welfare of animals and people’s pets throughout Scotland,” said the union’s general secretary Sharon Graham.

“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 SSPCA.”

Workers involved include members of the veterinary, animal rescut and inspectorate teams across the charity’s bases at Dunfermline and Cardonald, Glasgow.

The union also claims workers’ morale is being impacted by “increased workloads and understaffing”. It says the call volume from pet owners looking to hand over animals is up by a fifth over the last year and there has been an almost two thirds increase in foster placements.

“The work our SSPCA members do every day touches the lives of hundreds of thousands of people across Scotland and they deserve far better from their employer than a real terms pay cut,” said the union’s industrial officer Billy Thomson.

“For years the workers have been poorly paid which has seen their standard of living decline.

“The SSPCA workers feel totally undervalued and utterly let down by management which is why we have no option but to go for strikes.”

'This is not what we had hoped for'

SSPCA says that “as a charity, every decision we take must balance the needs of animals in our care, our colleagues and our generous supporters”.

It added: “Unite the union has issued a formal ballot to its members on potential industrial action.

“While this is not what we had hoped for, we respect union members’ right to follow due process. We remain committed to open and constructive discussions with Unite to reach a solution.

“Like many charities, we are currently managing a deficit and must act responsibly to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Society so we can continue to protect Scotland’s animals for generations to come.

“We want to reassure everyone that our helpline remains open and our services are fully operational and will continue throughout this process. Animal welfare remains our priority, alongside supporting our dedicated colleagues who deliver these vital services.”

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