UNISON members are being asked to vote on whether to take action over this year’s local government pay offer for staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The union opened a ballot of over 360,000 members today by reiterating its call for employers to return to the negotiating table with an improved offer. However, council leaders have held firm that their offer will not be enhanced.
While the GMB has accepted the deal, the third union, Unite, is, like UNISON, balloting its members on industrial action.
UNISON members will be balloted across more than 4,000 local authorities and schools. For each employer, half of relevant members need to take part in the ballot, with a majority voting in favour, for the union to have a mandate to strike in that organisation.
As a result, it is likely that the union will win mandates in some organisations, but not others.
What local government pay offer is worth
The proposed deal is worth:
- £1,290 or 2.5%, whichever is higher, for staff working outside of London.
- £1,491 or 2.5%, whichever is higher, for workers in outer London.
- £1,575 or 2.5%, whichever is higher, for those working in inner London.
For social workers, the deal is worth about 3-4%.
Since the offer was made in May, superior deals have been agreed with a host of other public sector workers, including NHS workers, teachers, police officers and staff in the armed forces.
There is also a more generous offer on the table for council staff in Scotland, though UNISON has rejected this and looks set to embark on strike action.
Employers rebuff call for improved deal
In reference to the pay round for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, UNISON head of local government Mike Short said: “Local government finances are in a dire state, but that doesn’t mean staff should be denied a fair pay rise after 14 years of austerity and low wages. Employers still have time to come back with a better offer.”
He also urged central government “to assist employers by providing stable, long-term funding settlements that allow councils and schools to retain expert staff and protect the vital services on which our communities rely”.
In response, a spokesperson for employers said: “The national employers have reaffirmed the offer as full and final as it is at the limit of most councils’ level of affordability.”
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 
Hampshire County Council 
Lincolnshire County Council 
Norfolk County Council 
Northamptonshire Children’s Trust 
South Gloucestershire Council 
Wiltshire Council 
Wokingham Borough Council 
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This will increase the so called millions black hole
So with the government looking to balance the books with potential increases in taxation and the ludicrous suggestion of the removal of the sole person discount for council tax local government employees will be forced to administer austerity measures while suffering the impact of it as well
I think management need to seriously think about how demoralised the work force is we wear the publics problems on a daily basis and there’s bigger issues at stake here than a small wage increase – where’s the next wave of employees going to come from where’s the motivation to take up public services because one look at us and you wouldn’t work in our services for love nor money
It isn’t about the money anymore is the total lack of value in us and the taking for granted of the workforce we need to stroke to send that message
What’s the point? All that they’re going to achieve is to delay us getting our pay rise for even longer.
It’s not as if going on strike will change the outcome, and in the meantime we’re being denied the extra wages.
It is not even a real pay rise. The hourly rate stays the same. It is just a bung and after the tax man has had his chunk its not a very compelling one. They are counting on the cost of living to force people to accept this rubbish offer.
They’re laughing at us calling this a “pay rise”. It’ll barely cover anything with the cost of living (greed) at the moment. Really demoralising. Every year we wait over 7 months for this. Tired and fed up.