- Conference
- 2003 Local Government Service Group Conference
- Date
- 9 June 2003
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes with alarm the Employers’ evidence to the NJC Local Government Pay Commission which:
1Seeks to restrict national bargaining to the annual pay settlement
2Suggests optional use of the current pay spine
3Calls for an end to Part 3 conditions
4Regards ‘contribution pay’ based on individual performance and behaviour as the means to link pay to performance
5Sees the National Minimum Wage as the benchmark for local government pay
6Attempts to justify the low pay of part time workers by rejecting comparisons with full time men’s pay
7Demonstrates a lack of commitment to equal pay, pay and grading reviews and the NJC JE scheme
8Calls for ‘broad bands’ and means of determining pay which will increase discrimination
9Refuses to acknowledge widespread recruitment and retention problems and high use of temporary and agency staff
10Shows that 36% of local government staff are not in the Local Government Pension Scheme
11Fails to mention that local government staff receive only 1.6 days training each year
12Claims that strikes in local government are unnecessary
Conference welcomes evidence by UNISON and the Trade Union Side to the Pay Commission which shows the Employers’ approach to be discredited and outdated and likely to lead to further demoralisation and loss of dedicated and experienced staff. Conference believes it flies in the face of new approaches to pay elsewhere in the public sector which recognise the benefits of national bargaining and fair and transparent pay systems to ensure equal pay for work of equal value.
Conference also rejects the suggestion that the trade unions are resisting improvement of local government services and are opposed to ‘flexible’ working. Conference reaffirms its commitment to providing top quality services with top quality pay, conditions and training for staff through real investment for improvement.
Conference therefore calls on the SGE to:
1Produce a response refuting the Employers’ evidence in line with UNISON policy, to be submitted to the Pay Commission and circulated to all branches and as widely as possible in local government circles and the media
2Continue to emphasise UNISON’s commitment to national bargaining, retention of Part 3 of the Green Book, equal pay and quality pay for quality services
3Reject any moves towards pendulum arbitration or the outlawing of industrial action
4Oppose any attempt to make all pay settlements long term
5Call on branches and regions to provide evidence to refute the Employers’ submission through surveys and other means
6Monitor attempts to withdraw from the NJC and implementation of Single Status and provide the results to branches
7Circulate the findings of the Local Government Pay Commission and consult widely, in line with agreed Pay Consultation Procedures, on next year’s pay claim
8Draw up an action plan to increase UNISON membership in local government, in line with the union’s national Organising and Recruitment Strategy
9Develop a plan of action to support branches whose councils attempt to pull out of the NJC or unilaterally implement elements of the Employers’ submission, including official industrial action
10Report to Conference in 2004 on developments