Fact Service October 2021

Issue 42

Councils urged to improve pay or face action

Unions representing 1.4 million council and school support staff have called on local government employers to return to pay talks and improve their 1.75% pay offer – or face the consequences.

UNISON, Unite and GMB report that an overwhelming majority of workers who took part in consultation exercises voted to reject the offer. They are now preparing industrial action ballots.

In a joint letter to councils, the unions state that the offer is inadequate and, with inflation high and rising, it represents another real terms pay cut for workers who have seen a quarter of the value of their pay wiped out since 2010.

In February, the three unions submitted a pay claim of at least 10% for all council and school support employees in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

https://www.unison.org.uk/news/2021/10/council-and-school-staff-deserve-increased-pay-offer-say-unions