Unions call for ‘inflation busting’ local govt rise
Three unions – UNISON, GMB and Unite – that between them represent 1.4 million council and school employees, have submitted a 2022 pay claim for staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to receive a pay boost of at least £2,000 each.
The claim would see council employees receive either a £2,000 rise at all pay grades or the current rate of RPI (11.1% at the moment), whichever is higher for each individual. This would lift all staff above the real Living Wage of £9.90 per hour (outside London).
“Employers and the government need to invest properly in the local government and school workforce to ensure the important services on which everyone relies are fit for the future,” said UNISON head of local government Mike Short. And GMB national secretary Rehana Azam added: “For too long, our local government members have faced real terms pay cuts.
“We have school members that are regularly working at levels above what they are being paid for and struggling to put food on the table at home. We have carers delivering care in the community that are facing increasing expenses for having to use their car for work.”
Unite acting national officer for local government Graham McNab concluded: “Many of our members are on poverty wages and deserve a large inflation-busting pay rise as they have endured a savage reduction in pay in real terms.”