Town hall bosses have offered to prevent the local government pay freeze extending into a fourth year with a 1% pay increase, amid ‘extreme disappointment' over trade union unwillingness to negotiate over terms and conditions.
The first national offer since 2009 would add an extra £150m to the annual local government wage bill and benefit more than one million council employees – more than three quarters of whom (77%) take home in wages less than the median local government salary of £24,311 - according to the National Employers, which represents 350 authorities in pay talks.
Cllr Sian Tiomey, chair of the Employer's side said this was the best offer possible in light of significant cuts to council funding. ‘However, I am very disappointed that the unions have rejected our repeated attempts to discuss terms and conditions to ensure they are fair and appropriate for councils and their employees,' added Cllr Tiomey.
She added terms and conditions for council staff haven't been reformed since 1997 and insisted a modern employment framework would remain a priority for the sector.
Cllr Tiomey's sentiments were backed up in a letter sent today by the Local Government Association's head of workforce, Sarah Messenger, to trade union bosses, Heather Wakefield of Unison, Brian Strutton of the GMB and Unite's Fiona Farmer.
‘The Employers are extremely disappointed that the unions have been unable to consider even the most minor elements of reform to some terms and conditions,' Ms Messenger stated.
Ms Messenger wrote that unions have refused to engage in talks over changes to workforce terms and conditions since February last year – as a result of which the National Joint Council would ‘begin concentrating their efforts on assisting councils in whatever way possible to achieve reforms locally'.
In response, Heather Wakefield, UNISON head of local government, said: ‘Local government workers have seen a 16% decline in the value of their pay in the last three years, coupled with significant local attacks on terms and conditions.
‘UNISON's local government committee will be mindful of this when we consider this improved offer. We held out for a better deal and will now be consulting our local government members, the majority of whom are women who have been particularly hard hit by the coalition's cuts to jobs, services, pay and conditions.'
GMB National Secretary for Public Services, Brian Strutton told The MJ: ‘I think there will be disappointment among our members that the offer is only 1% but there will be relief that we've broken the three-year pay freeze and got our first national award since 2009.'
‘GMB is going to consider the offer and when we've done that we'll put it to our members in a vote and they can decide whether they accept it or don't.'
