Local government members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are to be consulted on the employers’ 1% pay offer.
The union’s NJC committee of local government negotiators meeting today, voted to make a strong statement highlighting how far the offer falls below the union’s aspirations and what members deserve. But it agreed that he offer is the best achievable by negotiation in the current climate.
There was a majority view that members were not prepared to take industrial action at this time.
The union will consult members through branches, highlighting the committee’s anger at the offer, while pointing out that only sustained, all-out strike action could bring the employers back to the negotiating table.
UNISON’s consultation will start on 10 May and branches will be expected to consult members through a ballot. Branches will be asked to return the result of their consultation to their regions by 10 June.
Regions will forward these to the UNISON centre by 12 June. The NJC committee will consider the results on 13 June.
The union’s local government annual conference tales place on 16 and 17 June.
The committee also agreed to maintain a high-profile pay campaign throughout the year, linking the attacks on jobs and benefits, with a view to industrial action next year.
The joint trade unions met after the UNISON committee. The GMB held a national stewards conference on 3 May and decided to recommend the offer as the best achievable. Unite is adopting a similar approach to UNISON.
