Trade unions have warned that industrial action is ‘very much on the cards’ after yesterday’s announcement council workers have been offered a 1% pay increase.
Unite called the deal ‘insulting’ and would recommend its members reject the offer. Unite national officer for local government, Fiona Farmer, said: ‘This paltry offer of 1% is a pay cut in real terms as the RPI rate of inflation is running at 2.8% – and it will continue to cement poverty pay for thousands working for local councils.
‘We will be consulting our members with a recommendation to reject this offer and industrial action by our members is very much on the cards.’
Unison also said it would consult its members over the ‘meagre’ pay offer.
The union’s head of local government, Heather Wakefield, said: ‘It is outrageous that the vast majority of local government workers have effectively been offered another pay cut.
‘Although the long overdue modest rise for the lowest paid workers is welcome, this offer is another slap in the face for local government workers.’
GMB national secretary, Brian Strutton, said he would also consult his members::’The 1.5 million strong local government workforce will be dismayed that nearly all of them will be getting just a 1% pay rise. The extra for the lowest paid is welcome but is worth only a few pence extra on the hourly rate.
‘It still leaves the local government workforce as the poor relations of the public sector. And councils can afford more. They are squirreling away hundreds of millions in reserves.’
The National Employers said the 1% pay increase was fair to council staff and affordable for local authorities and taxpayers given the current financial climate.
