Local government strike action looms after talks stall

A
national strike by council workers is looming after pay talks between unions
and local government employers broke down last week.

Employers
tabled a proposed 7 per cent pay increase over three years, but unions
dismissed it, saying the offer would not deliver decent pay to local public
service workers.

The
unions involved – Unison, the Transport and General Workers’ Union and the GMB
– want a one-year deal worth 4 per cent to all workers, and the abolition of
the three bottom rungs on the pay ladder.

This
would bring the minimum wage in local government up to £6 per hour –
significantly above the £4.85 National Minimum Wage which is expected to be
announced by Gordon Brown in this week’s Budget.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

Email(Required)

OptOut

From time to time, we will send you emails about selected products, events and services from Personnel Today and OHW+ - but you can choose to opt-out at any time. If you do not wish to receive these emails, please tick this box.

Name

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Δ

Mike
Walker, chief negotiator for local government, said he was very disappointed
the unions had failed to take the offer seriously, and that employers were
looking for a way to explore union demands.

He
said affordability was a crucial issue, but the unions had to appreciate this
would have to be funded by council tax rises.