GMB and Unite vote to accept council pay offer

Local government members at trade unions GMB and Unite have accepted employers’ 2.475% pay offer, despite prospects of a Unison strike next month.

GMB, which represents 250,000 council staff, said members across England, Wales and Northern Ireland had backed the offer by seven to one in a consultative ballot.

Unite, which represents 100,000 staff, said 57% of members voted in favour of the deal, which will be backdated for members of both unions to 1 April.

However, Unison, the biggest of the unions 850,000 members, is currently balloting on strike action over the offer, which could take place from 14 November.

GMB national secretary for public services Brian Strutton said he was surprised by the majority in the union’s ballot given the offer was “well short of inflation”, but said members had been “realistic”.

Unite national organiser for public services Peter Allenson said his members had accepted the offer “grudgingly”.

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