Unions have once again begun pay negotiations for council staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, including social workers.
For 2024-25, UNISON, GMB and Unite are seeking a £3,000 or 10% pay rise – whichever is higher for the person concerned.
And as most social workers earn over £30,000, their pay rise would be 10% under the unions’ proposal.
The claim goes beyond the current rate of inflation, which was 4% in the year to January 2024, according to the government’s preferred consumer prices index (CPI) measure.
This is to address historic real-terms pay cuts, including what unions claim to be a 31% drop in social work salary rates since 2010, and to ensure staff don’t leave to “find better-paid work elsewhere”.
But does the current claim match practitioners’ expectations, despite it being above inflation rates?
Practitioners’ desired pay rise for 2024-25
A recent Community Care poll that amassed over a thousand votes found that most social workers (53%) opted for a rise that was below what the unions asked for.
One-third (33%) sought a pay rise of over 11%, and only 14% requested a hike equivalent to the claim, at 9-11%.
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The rest showed preference for lower rises, with 13% opting for a 7-9% raise, almost a quarter (22%) going for 5-7%, 15% preferring a 3-5% rise and 2% going for just 1-3%.
Declining belief in unions
Readers’ responses, in comments on social media and under the related article, depict a mood of pessimism among social workers about the prospects for the kind of rise sought by unions.
“They will only take the same as last year and take months to muddle over it,” said Dave Jones.
His comment reflects the fact that, last year, unions accepted employers’ original offer of a £1,925 rise having gained nothing extra from an eight-month dispute.
“Not holding out for a good deal,” added Nick Mapson.
On Facebook, a comment by social worker Chantelle echoed those of her colleagues.
“Like that would ever get agreed,” she said of the 10% claim.
However, Unite national officer Claire Keogh said that employers needed to recognise the “growing anger among local government workers” related to years of real-term pay cuts and their treatment during pay negotiations.
“Many union members are reporting that they cannot pay their bills, they are struggling to pay their mortgage or rent costs and some have even had to rely on food banks,” she added.
“We will not stand by and allow this to happen.”
Do you think the unions’ 10% proposal for 2024-25 will be accepted?
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I understand the rationale for arguing for a pay offer that compensates us for the real-terms pay cuts that we’ve experienced in recent years, but 10% feels wholly unrealistic. I don’t envisage that it’s in any way likely that we’ll get that and think it’s more likely that the unions will accept an offer of between 2-4% at some stage in October / November.
I’m trying to get my head around whether it’s a strategy. I.e. do they knowingly put forward a larger pay proposal, aware that it’s likely not going to be achieved, with the goal of securing a smaller / more acceptable offer (like the door in the face technique)? Or is it genuinely believed that 10% is achievable?
I’m not union-bashing at all. They’ll obviously battle to try to get us the best pay offer they can. I’d just prefer it in my pay packet sooner rather than later!
My internet provider has just informed me my cost is going up by 8.8% per month.
So while 10% rise does feel unrealistic, and I do think it’s partly strategy to request too high… is it really unrealistic? My broadband company feels 8.8% is realistic and I get no choice in it. My mortgage has increased by hundreds of pounds per month also. It’s weird that it’s par for the course for public sector workers to just constantly be paid below their means, and any requested rise that reflects real world rising costs is deemed silly. On the mortgage and internet alone I need an extra £300 per month from my SW job, let alone other increases. Don’t think I’ll be getting that.
Even while climbing the ladder, in real terms each year I will be getting a pay cut.
It just needs to be quicker. The whole process is ridiculous, votes for industrial action that never happen and accepting the original offer after 10 months of talks, which has happened two years in a row. I’m sick of the whole process.
I’m afraid that there is no option other than Social Workers need to be prepared to take industrial action. At the minimum this should be a work to rule given that the research has consistently shown that Social Workers work well above their agreed contracted hours without additional pay and with inconsistent access to lieu time, leaving Social Workers exhausted, with a high risk of burn out. It is this goodwill working that has sustained social services. Social Workers need to demonstrate that they are no longer prepared to tolerate such working conditions that impact upon their own physical and emotional wellbeing
and thereby upon the well being of those vulnerable children and adults for whom we are charged to have a duty of care.
Without industrial action, the offer will be 3-4% or (£1925) again which will come just before Christmas…again!
Do we know what the employers are offering?
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for that. The employers haven’t made an offer yet but we’ll keep an eye out and report on this as soon as it’s out.
Cheers,
Mithran
Our union has informed us that the employers won’t be feeding back to us until beginning of May. This is unacceptable when our pay rise is supposed to be from April. Every year the same. We are just not valued as workers.
Its always the same every year union’s promise we can fight for your pay their is no more fight in these union’s lost all faith now only going to get accepted the first offer.
My local authority has increased my council tax by 5%, so i believe 5% is a reasonable amount for a pay increase. Like others i would rather have the money in my pay packet as soon as possible. Last year the unions achieved nothing in the 8 months it took to get the increase.
I feel the last 2 years of fixed rate increases has been specifically designed to steal power from the unions. At £1,925, far more people have had a ‘close to inflation’ increase due to the % of the workforce at the lower end of the pay scale. This means there are far less people at the higher end of the pay scale getting a ‘much less than inflation’ increase therefore far less support for strike ballots (turnout for ballots was very low).
With a lack of negotiation power, the employer just starts with a final offer and sits tight with lack of affordability as it’s shield.
The whole system needs and overhaul with the employer’s offer decided by an independent body, similar to MPs but based on real inflation, private sector increases and cost of living data to come up with a fair offer at the start. This would mean less time spent on negotiation with unions.
Employer’s offers should also always be a percentage rather than a fixed amount which is unfair to higher earners and greatly reduces the competitiveness of councils to attract the most skilled and experienced staff in these roles.
Not looking for windfalls each year, just a fair and reasonable pay rise for hard work, commitment and loyalty.
Just read that the local Authorities won’t be making a pay offer until May? This apparantly coincides with the local elections, is,this legal? Shouldn’t they make a counter offer to the unions before April the 1st?
Does this pay rise include social care workers on the frontline?
Hi Kelly,
Thanks for this. It will apply to social care workers employed by the majority of councils in England and Wales (those covered by the pay agreement; unfortunately, we don’t have a list of these to hand).
But it won’t apply to anyone employed in the independent sector (i.e. the vast majority of care staff).
Thanks,
Mithran