Unions disappointed by 1.5% offer

Unions the GMB, UNISON and Unite – which between them represent 750,000 council and school support staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – have criticised a 1.5% pay offer made by the Local Government Association. In February the unions had submitted a 10% joint pay claim, to be payable from 1 April 2021.

Rehana Azam, GMB national secretary, said: “We’re extremely disappointed with this offer. We will now meet with our senior reps, decide how to respond and demand immediate talks with the employers.”

Jon Richards, UNISON head of local government, added: “Unions will now discuss the offer with their national local government committees before formally responding. It’s likely they’ll want the employers to think again and come back and negotiate an offer that better reflects the worth and value of the dedicated school and council workforce.”

For Unite, its national officer for local government, Jim Kennedy, stated: “This offer fails to recognise the legitimate aspirations of our members, who have seen 25% wiped from their pay packets during a decade of Tory council cuts.”

https://www.gmb.org.uk/news/disappointing-council-pay-offer-ignores-huge-covid-19-effort-workforce