Councils
have welcomed an Acas deal designed to break a negotiating deadlock with staff.
Nine
out of 10 local government employers agreed to accept Acas’ proposals for a
two-year pay deal.
Acas
has proposed a council minimum wage of £5 an hour and pay increases for some
staff of up to 10.9 per cent.
Discussions
surrounding employment issues are continuing, with the employers wanting to
ensure that flexible working and the modernisation of pay and rewards are on
the agenda.
Councillor
Brian Baldwin, chairman of the employers’ negotiating team, said: "We are
pleased and relieved that councils have accepted the Acas brokered pay
proposals.
"We
know there have been some extremely reluctant ‘yes’ votes and that the
settlement will be difficult for many councils to afford, but it was the best
that could be achieved in the difficult circumstances."
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The
unions are expected to announce the results of members’ ballots on the pay
offer by early next week
