10% pay claim for local government workers

Three unions with 1.4 million members in schools and councils have put in a pay claim for a rise of at least 10% for all council and school support employees in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The GMB, UNISON and Unite say that a significant pay award is needed to redress a decade of “savage” local authority cuts and pay restraint. Council employees include refuse collectors, library staff, teaching assistants and care employees and the pay of the lowest-paid workers would go above £10 per hour.

Rehana Azam, GMB national secretary, said: “[Our members] stepped up during a public health crisis, now employers and ministers must step up and address the pay crisis in local government and schools.

"Low-paid support staff kept schools open, often covering for teachers without increases in wages. This pandemic has shown the best of our public service workers.”

“Paying staff properly and investing in the workforce would recognise those at the sharp end who’ve given everything,” said Jon Richards, UNISON head of local government. “It will benefit local economies and give workers a boost as they keep delivering important services into the future.”

Jim Kennedy, Unite national officer for local government, concluded: “Ministers pledged to support local government, but words are cheap. The employers should show courage and demand the proper level of funding that is desperately needed, including a fair pay increase.”

https://www.gmb.org.uk/news/unions-call-substantial-pay-rise-council-and-school-workers

https://unitetheunion.org/news-events/news/2021/february/unions-call-for-a-substantial-pay-rise-for-council-and-school-workers

https://www.unison.org.uk/news/press-release/2021/02/unions-call-%e2%80%8bsubstantial%e2%80%8b-pay-rise-%e2%80%8bcouncil-school-workers