UNISON has urged its members to reject employers’ proposed 3.2% local government pay offer in a consultative ballot due to start shortly.
The biggest local government union has joined the GMB and Unite in coming out against the offer for council and some school staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, which was made last month and which employers have dubbed “full and final”.
“Staff at councils and schools deserve a decent pay rise this year for their vital work providing services to local communities,” said UNISON’s head of local government, Mike Short.
“Given the many years of underwhelming or even non-existent wage rises workers have endured, this offer falls some way short.
“The union’s local government committee is recommending staff reject this offer. It will now be up to school and council workers to decide what they want to do next.”
The ballots are likely to run during May and June.
Should members follow their unions’ advice and reject the offer, this will set the scene for formal ballots for industrial action over the summer, paving the way for strikes during the autumn.
In each of the past two years, unions have settled for employers’ initial pay offer – £1,290 or 2.5% in 2024-25 and £1,925 in 2025-26 – after several months of dispute that have involved balloting for strike action.
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Only took 3 weeks to come out with that statement, in that time the councils collected 3 million in interest. It’s all a big ploy from both sides to drag it out as long as possible to collect as much interest as possible. Remember the unions are in the pockets of the councils.
Yeah and you sit back and reap the benefits of workers who go out on the picket line. You are exactly what the Government love. The current employment right that you work under were gained by Unions and hard working members who stood up for their right to a fair wage,for a fair days work. The current Government and previous ones fought hard to take away that right, whilst pegging back decent wages. We get poorer while the billionaires profit
What u on about it’s the same every year for the last 5 years. The offer will be accepted in October and we will receive in December and the councils collect all the interest on all that money there holding back because of the unions being in the pockets of the bill payers.
I’m not disagreeing with you.My question to you are you in a Union?
I green with both sides, but were I work out of its probably 80% agency, so the guys there are between a rock and a hard place, it will be accepted and that is the reality
That was back in the day when people had some fight in them. Now look, i left Unison because the members didn’t have the fight i had and were happy to let the government dictate. I assume you are going to accept the offer Frank? or maybe reject it and then not strike? like i say until peoples mindset changes and they are willing to actually do something that tells this government we are not doormats then what is the point of paying Unison a penny. I personally am not paying money into a union full of people who don’t want change and i presume a lot feel this way
full respect to people who are willing to strike , especially when you know others are letting you down
100% Agree it’s the same every year. The councils must be earning a small fortune off the interest meanwhile we need the pay rise NOW not in 6 months time. They made the offer late, we should of had the pay rise by now.
And yes I am in Unite.
I was just about to say the same, Unison just roll over in October and we end up with the same as we would have got anyway! Also why are NHS social workers being awarded more than LA workers. We have to work to the same legislation and work with just as complex cases so why are we worth less?
Full and final has always meant just that.
Those on universal credit etc get most affected by this being back paid in December. But the unions don’t care.
There is no money in social care or councils. Social workers cannot strike for just social care. Just accept this, stop the 7 month dance around. And negotiate in advance for once?
Couldn’t agree more. The members of the Unions have demonstrated time and again that they will not ballot to strike when we were seeking a 10% pay rise, let alone a much smaller one. The Unions should be engaging woth members more, not sure when the last time they held an event or drop in session.
Just accept the offer
£1925 was in 23/24, negotiate earlier and except the offer, the government won’t raise the offer.
I agree get it agreed and pay us now🤬
I’m happy with 3.2%, I think we’re quite well paid compared to the private sector with a generous pension and excellent terms and conditions. I’d like to get my raise early this year rather than dragging it out just to get it in November, as usual.
This seems a very fair settlement to me given the current conditions and as a previous correspondent pointed out it’s better to get the money in the bank
We know most councils (all councils?) are in financial difficulties so when they produce what looks like a reasonable offer that’s acceptable to government and the union then it’s so much better to go for a cooperative and quick solution , get a reputation for sensible negotiation and hope (it’s usually true) the” other side” realise that if they make a sensible offer next time there won’t be a fight.
Having worked in both private and public sectors I am truly grateful for the local government system where generally an around the inflation figure pay rise comes in every April/May
You my friend are suffering from Stockholm syndrome. Hasn’t been an inflation beating payrise for over a decade. Every year of slightly below inflation adds up.
It’s so bad now with the graduated rises over the years that the gap between grades means staff are actively avoiding applying for promotions and it’s going to leave a crippling gap in staffing within the next 5-10 years.
fair? really? 3.2% compared to the 6.7% rise for the minimum wage, before long, can’t you see are just being dragged down to match with minimum wage for doing higher skilled work, how is that fair?
Dear me Tim, The government will be very appreciative of people like yourself i am sure
I think that’s wrong. We got £1925 in 24/25 and £1290 in 25/26. What does this offer add up to in terms of actual money per year? 3.2% of my basic salary is £832 so if so its less than the previous years offers. If so I’ll be voting for industrial action.
Regarding a previous comment. Im not sure what part of the country you are in but the private sector has certainly caught up here in the NW.
With a % increase rather than flat line it’s going to divide opinion. Those further up the pay scale (which includes myself) will benefit from the same level of pay award as seen last year. Those towards the bottom 20-30k PA will be worse off. Granted we all live within our means according to our incomes cost of living is still incredibly higher compared to pre covid. I think it’s unfair to those on the lower end of the scale which includes teaching assistants, social care workers who we are struggling to recruit and retain as it is.
Anyone on SCP 30 and above are no worse off than the offer last year (well SCP is about £30 short); anyone below SCP 30 will be worse off – but i suspect the percentage of union members that earn below SCP 30 will be less than members that are SCP 30 and above (just a guess based on disposable income assumptions). If there were high volume members of lower pay grades, I doubt the NJC employers would have tabled something that would inevitably be rejected as being worse than last year. I suspect there are more people better off this year that are members. Although it’s not the value we all deserve; it’s a game of chess and the employers side often hold better pieces than the unions.
I agree, a lump sum would have been better. Working in social care, I am on a l low grade. Which means 41p per hour less tax and N.I about 30p. 3.2% may be a good pay rise for higher grades, as they will get
1or 2k maybe more. The gap between the lower and higher paid once again just gets wider. No disrespect to shop workers but I wouldn’t be paid much more than them without the stress and responsibility of my job.
Yvette Cooper saying that social care is low skilled work just infuriates me. It is a job that is physically and emotionally challenging and needs more recognition
It’s not fair that every year the pay rise takes months after the April date..and then by the time we finally get it and told that the money should be in our pocket the tax man takes a lot and we don’t get the full benefit……
Whether you get it monthly or in one lump sum towards the end of the year, you’ll pay the same tax across the tax year.
Income tax is 20%
£100/month*20%= £20
£1200/year*20%= £240
This is a myth, it works out exactly the same, still would rather get the rise in april than waiting until November.
Unions should be pushing for a reduction in the working week such that officers outside London work the same hours as those in London.
Agree, pay and working condition parity would be a start. Why a London weighting still exists when other regions are equally as expensive to live and work and travel. Why 1 hour less per week but not for others. I think the legacy arguments / justification don’t exist anymore.
Employers will not give ground as proven over the last couple of years. There are cutbacks everywhere because there is no money.
Asking for £3000 and hourly reductions every year is ridiculous. It’s unaffordable.
Unions will spend months asking members to ballot and strike but eventually accept the full and final offer and achieve nothing
Why cant the 3.2% be accepted without prejudice ready for April? Start paying it out now and spend the next several months ( no doubt unsuccessfully) negotiating for more pay/leave on top. Either that or we should all be getting the interest on that money that we would otherwise have received had they already accepted the offer.
If if would be unsuccessful its because people like you are refusing to tell employers you will stand up for a better offer.
It will be the same as the last 2 years. The informal ballot will reject the pay rise, then they will have a formal ballot in September which they wont get enough turn out for and then they will have to accept it. It is utterly pointless. I am currently in the UNISON union but going to quit soon. It is a complete waste of £22 a month that I could spend on other stuff.
I quit the union a good few years ago. They treat us as fools. I now actually resent they have the power to block pay rises or delay them for several month. Playing into the hand of the employer by earning them a fortune in interest. While the workers pay interest on money that they could have paid off their debts.
Firstly and yet again, it baffles me as a social worker why we don’t get the offer and pay rise aligned and at the same time as nurses, police etc.
Secondly, the pay rise will not get settled until numerous pointless ballots until just before Christmas, by which time everyone is just happy to get an increase and no one wants to strike anyway.
Finally , I am personally happy with 3.2% and feel there is little point seeking to get more as it’s always a fruitless and pointless waste of time
What I don’t understand is why unison can’t go back to the government with a counter offer. They asked for 3k plus extra benefits, government offered 3.2%. Surely this is a negotiation so why don’t unison go back with 2k for example and forget the benefits. Is that not how a pay negotiation should work?
The employers are giving a “full and final” offer, which suggests that they are not negotiating with the unions..
I feel a lot of people been let down I. Past with unions and employees cancel or just don’t want be in union anymore so if it goes to a vote the unions not strong enough
Just take the offer, for a change 3.2% is a tidy one and we will never get more than that. As Social care staff, we are not by nature as militant as training drivers/staff and the longer it goes on the longer we have to wait for a pay rise that ALWAYS never goes to strike as we get it before Christmas
Just accept the offer and ballot now!!