Unions urge Council workers to accept pay offer

Published 19th Dec 2018

An improved pay offer for local government workers has been welcomed by trade union leaders.

Following months of campaigning by Unison, GMB and Unite, the body representing councils, Cosla, tabled an increased deal for employees of 9.5% over three years. It will see workers given a rise of 3.5% for 2018-19, 3% for 2019-20 and 3% for 2020-21.

The deal also provides a commitment to fully consolidate the living wage.

Unison has urged its members to accept the offer.

Johanna Baxter of Unison said: This revised and improved offer would never have been achieved without the resolve, campaigning activity and political lobbying efforts of Unison members up and down the country.

Whilst the offer does not make up for the many years of austerity, the provision of cost of living increases which meet current and projected levels of RPI is welcome - as are the commitments to fully consolidate the living wage and maintain parity across the local government workforce.''

Mark Ferguson, chair of Unison's local government committee, said: This offer does not meet all of our expectations but it is a move in the right direction after a decade of below inflation increases and job cuts.

Many of our low paid members have patiently waited on their employer to consolidate the living wage - the employers' past failure to deliver on that has resulted in eradication of pay differentials on the pay model for those doing the most demanding jobs.''

Councillor Gail Macgregor, of Cosla, said: I am absolutely delighted that the Unison local government committee has agreed to recommend the employers' revised three-year offer to their membership.

This is a strong offer which recognises the value of our workforce. This is particularly so given the backdrop of an extremely difficult funding settlement for local government and I am delighted that it has been recommended to the membership for acceptance.

We hope that the other SJC unions will also recognise the value of this offer and accept so we can get this money into the pay packets of our hard working and valued workforce.''