Local government pay talks have been adjourned after trade
unions rejected proposals that would have added £400m to local authorities’
wage bills.
The
Employers Organisation for Local Government (EOfLG) this week offered trade unions
three different pay settlements, which were all rejected, on the eve of Socpo’s
annual conference.
Unison,
the T&G and the GMB unions turned down offers of 3 per cent, 3.5 per cent
and a final proposal of a 4.6 per cent increase that would add £400m to the
local government pay bill.
Councillor
Brian Baldwin, chair of the EOfLG services, described the breakdown of the pay
talks as very disappointing and claimed that the unions were not facing up to
economic reality.
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Malcolm
Wing, Unison head of local government, responded, "The situation is
serious. Industrial action is now a step closer. Local government workers are
at the forefront of the Government’s modernisation agenda and are already
delivering more for less.”
