More than 100 members of the three local government unions, UNISON, GMB and UNITE, will today (30 March) make some noise about pay, job and service cuts, at a lobby outside the central London headquarters of the Local Government Association (LGA).
The unions are accusing Tory-Led councils of using the recession as a smokescreen to cut services, freeze pay and shed jobs, when money is available to keep vital services, such as homecare, running, and keep up much-needed investment in departments including social work.
Councils got a 4% above-inflation grant from central government this year, and started 2009/10 with more money in reserves than they did the year before. Unallocated reserves have now hit £3billion. Council workers have delivered above and beyond the efficiency savings demanded by central government Ð councils have pocketed the cash difference.
Heather Wakefield, UNISON Head of Local Government, said:
ÒUnder a cloud of financial inevitability, Tory-led councils are using the recession as an excuse to cut pay, shed jobs and shut down valued local services they didnÕt support in the first place. Should these plans go ahead, the consequences for social services departments, for home care, youth and community projects, libraries and leisure centres, will be huge.
ÒThe reality is that councils have enough money to keep vital services running and to pay staff fairly. It is a disgrace that the employers are refusing to even enter into discussions on pay with the unions this year.Ó
Brian Strutton, GMB National Secretary, said:
“GMB members in councils up and down the country are disgusted that their employers refuse to even sit down and talk about pay and conditions this year. These workers deliver vital front line services to their local communities caring for the elderly, helping the vulnerable and disadvantaged, supporting children in schools and keeping our cities and streets clean and healthy.
ÒThey deserve better than the arrogant and insulting attitude they are getting from their employers. GMB calls on local and national politicians of all parties to show respect for council workers and engage with us in meaningful negotiation”.
Peter Allenson, National Officer for UNITE the union, said:
ÒToday is about making sure that the Tory led LGA realise that our members are prepared to fight back. The freeze proposed this year is actually a pay cut, and shows how little the employers value their staff, and through this action, their local community.
ÒUnite members have told me quite clearly that they will resist this imposition in whatever way they can, and this is not just about how they are treated, but shows what little regard the employers have to the services that they should be delivering to local taxpayers.
ÒThere are signs that some employers want to make an offer; shame on those that donÕt want to even negotiate.Ó
The unions put in a claim for 2.5% or for a flat rate increase of £500, whichever is the greater, in January this year. The pay freeze will come into force on Thursday 1 April.
