 |  | |
To sign up for a website like this visit www.unionweb.co.uk
SubscribePay and Conditions ServiceGMB members have FREE access to the GMB pay and conditions service - an invaluable source of bargaining information. Click here to find out more or use the link below to log on. Click here to access Payline | |
P13/09
16 July 2009
LOCAL GOVERNMENT PAY
UPDATE
At a meeting today, 16 July, the TU Side of the NJC for Local Government Services agreed the following statement:
“1. 2009 pay negotiations for 1.6 million local authority workers began with the Trade Unions submitting a claim for improvements on 14 January 2009.
2. The Local Government Employers on behalf of local authorities, made a written formal offer on 6 April 2009.
3. The offer dated 06 April 2009 was for a 0.5% pay increase with a deadline for agreement of 31 May 2009.
4. The Trade Unions rejected the 0.5% offer and deadline on 7 April 2009 and requested an urgent meeting of the full NJC.
5. The full NJC was held on 22 April 2009 where it was agreed to continue negotiations via the NJC Executive and joint secretarial negotiations.
6. Trade Union and Local Government Employer negotiators held discussions during May 2009 with a view to reaching a new offer. On 21 May 2009 after six hours of talks a ‘potential new offer’ emerged and comprised of:
· A 1.25% increase in pay for those on scale points 4-10 inclusive
· A 1% increase for those above scale point 10, up to scale point 49
· An increase in minimum annual leave entitlement of 1 day from 1 April 2009 and a further day from 1 April 2010
· An increase in all allowances by 1%
· An increase in the sleeping-in allowance to £35.35p
· A review of parental entitlements by 1/10/09 and appropriate implementation thereafter
· Conclusion of a joint ‘best practice redundancy avoidance’ agreement by 1/9/09.
-2-
7. The NJC trade unions raised the issue of the employer’s deadline and were told unequivocally by the LGE Officials that while productive negotiations were ongoing the 31 May deadline would be held in abeyance.
8. The Local Government Employers undertook to put the ‘potential new offer’ to the political leaders of the Local Government Association (LGA) for approval following which it could become a formal offer on which the Unions could consult members.
9. It has been reported to the Trade Unions that the political leaders of the LGA have so far been unable to decide whether to approve the 21 May ‘potential new offer’ or to do anything else and there is no foreseeable prospect that they will.
10. This indecision is unfair to council workers. It is a political derogation of the responsibility of employers towards their employees and shows a total lack of respect. The impasse is not acceptable to the trade unions.
11. The trade unions are aware that the Employers’ Side are meeting to take a decision before the end of July. We request that a full NJC meeting take place that same day for the Employers’ Side to report or by the end of July at the latest.”
You will see that we have reported the progress reached in joint secretarial negotiations back in May. These led to a ‘potential new offer’ but the employers have so far failed to put that offer on the table to allow us to consult members. This is completely unacceptable, hence the very forthright terms of the statement above.
The employers now tell us that they will meet and take a decision before the end of this month. Let’s hope so. They have a negotiated proposal in front of them and our members are sick to the back teeth of waiting for their pay rise. It’s time to make the offer and let us get on with consulting the membership.
I will keep you informed.
Brian Strutton
Brian Strutton
National Secretary - Public Services Section
Join GMB at www.gmb.org.uk/join
GMB NATIONAL OFFICE CONTACT: Brian Strutton
22-24 Worple Road, London SW19 4DD Telephone: 020 8947 3131 Tel: 020 8971 4255 Fax: 020 8944 6552