Council workers plan targeted action

The Unite general union has said that its local government members will stage targeted industrial action at councils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland this month, after rejecting a 1.75% pay offer in a ballot of more than 300 local authorities.

The union said that more than 80% of its 70,000 members, who voted in nearly 400 separate ballots, were in favour of industrial action over the 1.75% offer made by the Local Government Association (with 2.75% for those on the bottom pay point) for 2021/22. Unite wants a 10% increase in pay for council workers.

It described the employers’ offer as “completely unacceptable” and promised that a list of the councils where the legal threshold for industrial action was met and where action will be taken will be published soon.

Unite national officer for local government Jim Kennedy commented: “We had an excellent turnout, with 82% of those voting supporting industrial action, reflecting our members’ disgust at the pay offer.

“From Belfast to Bath to Ipswich, Unite members have said ‘enough is enough’ and we demand fair pay.”

https://www.unitetheunion.org/news-events/news/2022/february/unite-to-stage-targeted-industrial-action-as-council-workers-express-disgust-at-175-pay-offer