Thomas Bridge 23 July 2014

Strikes to hit councils again

Council and school support staff will strike again later this year as part of continuing demonstrations over pay.

Around a million public service workers are thought to have taken part in national protests on 10 July against the 1% increase in pay offered by local government employers.

Unison has now revealed a further walk out will take place in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on Tuesday 30 September.

Following demonstrations earlier this month, the union affirmed that its ‘overwhelming priority’ was engaging in negotiations with employers.

However, Unison’s head of local government Heather Wakefield said previous action had ‘sent a strong message to the employers’ that council staff were ‘fed up and angry with being exploited’.

‘It is a disgrace that so many workers and their families are forced to live on poverty pay,’ she added.

‘There was widespread public support for our members, the majority of whom are low paid and part-time women workers whose good will has been taken for granted for too long.’

The trade union called on the Local Government Association (LGA) to engage in further talks ahead of the protest date. Unison argues that current offers would see 90% of council and school support staff receiving a 1% increase following successive years of pay freezes and below inflation rises in 2013 and 2014.

‘No local government or school support worker should be paid below the Living Wage,’ Wakefield said.

‘It's time for the employers to come back to the negotiating table and work with us to secure a decent offer for our members and end this damaging dispute.’

The LGA has previously said the pay rise offer was ‘‘at the absolute limit of what local authorities can afford’.

The latest announcement follows a recent survey of council staff undertaken by LocalGov, which found 57% of respondents did not want to strike again even if the pay offer is not increased.

Responding to the announcement, a Local Government Association spokesman said: 'Most local government staff did not vote to strike and the vast majority did not take part in strike action earlier this month. Both GMB and Unite have confirmed that they will not take part in this further strike. We urge Unison to reconsider.

'This year’s offer would increase the pay of most of our employees by one per cent while those on the lowest salaries would receive increases of between 1.25 per cent and 4.66 per cent. This is at the limit of what councils tackling the biggest cuts in living memory can afford.

'The sooner Unison, Unite and GMB accept this pay offer, the sooner this money can reach our employees who have been waiting for it since April.'

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Social Work Assistant

Durham County Council
Grade 6 £28,142 - £31,022
We are looking to appoint a Social Work Assistant to work within the Easington Locality.   The team provides an effective and efficient Assessment and Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Social Worker For People with Dual Sensory Loss

Durham County Council
Grade 9 - Pre Progression (£35,412 - £39,152) - Grade 11 - Post Progression (£40,777 - £45,091)
Do you have experience of working with people who have dual sensory loss?  Are you a Social Worker or a Visual Impaired Rehabilitation Worker?   We ha Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Community Wellbeing Assistant

Durham County Council
£26,403 - £28,598
Temporary until March 2028 - 30 hour post  Wellbing Sport and Leisure are looking for a Wellbeing Assistant to join their team in the East and West o Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

School Administrator

Durham County Council
£26,403- £28,598 (Pro Rata)
School Administrator Grade 5, £26,403- £28,598 (Pro Rata) Permanent- Full Time- 37 hours per week. Required to start 1st September 2026, pending DBS c Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Residential Workers

Durham County Council
Grade 7 £30,024 - £33,699
Residential Workers - Opportunities are available across the County Durham Area Salary
Recuriter: Durham County Council
Linkedin Banner