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Fair Pay for Local Government Workers - Reject the Unfair Offer

The 2014-15 pay claim for local government workers falls short of expectations and does not address the real loss in pay since 2010. Reject the offer and support strike action to achieve a fairer deal.

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Fair Pay for Local Government Workers - Reject the Unfair Offer

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  1. The 2014-15 pay claim • A minimum increase of £1 an hour on scale point 5 to achieve the Living Wage and • the same flat rate increase on all scale points. • The Living Wage has risen to £7.65 an hour, so we would need an increase of £1.20 on scale point 5 to reach it.

  2. . The Employers’ Final Offer • 1% for pay points 11-49 (90% of workforce.) • Pay points 5-10 offered over 1% to avoid local government falling below National Minimum Wage: • New Hourly Rate • £580 on pay point 5 £6.75 • £550 on pay point 6 £6.82 • £400 on pay point 7 £6.90 • £275 on pay point 8 £7.05 • £200 on pay point 9 £7.22 • £175 on pay point 10 £7.35

  3. . What does the offer mean? • The offer falls woefully short of our claim - and what members deserve. • It does nothing to help restore 20% real loss in NJC pay since 2010 and its impact on your pension. • It means a further 1.7% pay cut for the vast majority of members. • It leaves over a third of a million below the Living Wage and the lowest paid 50,000 just 30p above the National Minimum Wage.

  4. Your Pay – Your Say • UNISON strongly recommends that you reject the offer. • If you do reject it, you must be prepared to take strike action to try and win an improved offer. • UNISON believes that we should move to an official industrial action ballot in support of our claim. • Tell us what you think - take part in your branch ballot.

  5. Why our claim is a fair claim • The real value of your pay has fallen by 18% since 2010 • Over a third of a million local government workers earn less than the Living Wage – that’s 25% of the workforce. • Nearly 1 million earn less than £21,000 – the Coalition’s own low pay threshold. • Everyone on NJC pay is low paid for the job they do. • Local government pay and conditions the worst in the public sector.

  6. More for less • Cost of living rises, a three-year pay freeze and 1% last year means you are doing more for less. • 450,000 jobs lost in local government since 2010 means heavier workloads. • Vacant and frozen posts not being filled either. • Stress levels are rising and morale is falling. • Fuel, travel, food prices and childcare costs all rising.

  7. 378,000 earn less than the living wage • The Living Wage: the bare minimum for acceptable standard of living. • £7.65 outside London and £8.80 in London. • 28% of councils have already brought in a living wage, 45% are considering it and 7% have it under review or already pay more. • Political leaders from all parties support the living wage. • Employers forced to increase bottom pay points in pay offer more than 1% to avoid falling below National Minimum Wage – the lowest legal rate of pay.

  8. But its not just the lowest paid struggling... … everyone is worse off now than in 2009

  9. Poor relations of the public sector • Local Government has the worst pay and conditions in the whole of the public sector for comparable jobs. • From the bottom of the pay spine through to the top. • Cleaners and catering assistants earn about £800 a year (6%) more in the NHS. • And about £950 a year (7%) more in the police service.

  10. Comparing NJC and NHS pay

  11. Local Cutsadd insult to injury! • Shabby treatment by employers on pay and conditions: • Over 60% of councils have cut car allowances. • Many have cut unsocial hours and overtime. • Sick pay, basic pay and redundancy pay have been cut. • Others have imposed unpaid holidays and cut annual leave. • The Employers are coming hard for annual leave and sick pay.

  12. The cuts don’t work! • The cuts are not necessary. They are making the deficit rise! • The crisis was caused by the unsafe and greedy practice of the banks and the finance sector – not public spending. • Cutting pay and jobs is not the answer. We need to get the economy working again. • Research shows that for every £1 a local government worker earns – 50 pence gets spent in their local economy. • Higher wages means more local spending - boosting local businesses, increasing tax and NI returns and creating jobs. • A pay rise for 1.5 million local government workers will make a big difference.

  13. The employers will say... • ...they can’t afford it. But... • Since 2010 councils saved a quarter of their staffing costs. • Their reserves rose by £2.6 billion to £19 billion! • The extra £2.6 billion in 2012 alone would pay for a 10% pay increase. • They chose to boost reserves further instead of rewarding their overworked staff – who are getting poorer.

  14. But there is an alternative • An increase in your pay of at least £1 an hour will: • Generate significant savings for the Treasury in benefits and tax credits. • Plus income from increased tax and national insurance. • 55% of cost of meeting claim ‘self funded’ for government - New Policy Institute research. • Our claim could be funded by recycling these savings to local authorities – ‘joined up’ government.

  15. New Policy Institute ResearchNet public sector cost of £1 pay rise at each spinal column point

  16. If you accept this pay offer.......... • For 90% of you accepting the offer means your pay will be worth 20% less than in 2010. • If inflation and pay rises continue as now your pay will be 26% less by 2017. • Another pay cut won’t save jobs. • Another pay cut won’t save services. • These pay cuts are long term.

  17. Vote to reject the pay offer! • ALL this will continue unless you take action now • There ARE political choices • DON’T be taken for granted • YOU are worth much more than this bargain basement pay offer • AND so are those who rely on you

  18. What happens next? • All branches balloting members on offer using standard ballot form. • Only strike action can achieve an improved offer. • UNISON NJC Committee meeting on 24 April to consider responses. • GMB and UNITE consulting their members along same lines. • If support UNISON will move to official industrial action ballot in May. • Important all members have their say so decision reflects your view.

  19. What can I do to help the campaign? • Talk to work mates about what’s going on – tell them UNISON is fighting to win them a pay rise and defend their jobs – they must vote! • If they’re not in UNISON sign them up – we’re stronger together. • Become an NJC pay ‘champion’ and help the campaign. • Follow us on Twitter: @LocalGovPay • Join our facebook campaign: • facebook.com/UnisoninLocalGovernment

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