The Employers’ Side met yesterday and agreed to increase their offer to a final offer in settlement of our 2009 pay claim as follows:· Pay
From 1 April 2009 an increase of 1.25% on SCPs 4 to 10 inclusive
From 1 April 2009 an increase of 1.00% on SCPs 11 to 49 inclusive
· Annual Leave
· Annual Leave
From 1 April 2009, an increase from 20 to 21 days in minimum annual leave for employees with less than five years’ service.
By 1 December 2009, the NJC will produce joint guidance on best practice in handling redundancies.
So the latest offer has gone up from 0.5% to 1.25% for low paid and 1% for the rest. This would be back dated to April this year. Also an extra days days leave for workers with less service and an agreed union/employer guide on good practice over redundancies.
The joint unions will meet on Monday 27 July to consider a response.
In a press release UNISON Head of Local Government Heather Wakefield says:-
"We are pleased that the local government employers have come forward with an improved pay offer. While we believe that our members are worth more, we are pleased that the employers have realised that 0.5% was an insult. It is also vital that we have an agreement in place to protect jobs in the sector. This will help keep services running through the recession - when families and communities need them most. "UNISON's national committee and the NJC trade union side will meet next week to start the consultation on the offer."
*Scale points 4-10 earn between £11,961 - £13,336 (scale points 0-3 no longer exist)
**Scale points 11-49 earn between £14,197 - £41,083
I think it is fair to say "well done" to the Joint Union negotiators for helping to bring a positive offer to the table in these difficult times and also getting a fairly significant increase on the previous offer. I can imagine the Daily Hate headlines tomorrow morning. But maybe we can get more?
My employer is so far still holding out on a 0% increase for non-NJC Staff (i.e staff not on local government rates – usually directly employed staff who do not have TUPE protection). With us there is any appeal process in hand and this offer should help us argue against the 0% non-offer. I am just back tonight from a Housing Association Branch Executive meeting where I heard that one employer proposed a 5% cut in wages. This was beaten back and in fact many employers have increased wages for this year by more than 1%.
I think that those in local government UNISON leadership roles should wait until they can properly consult their ordinary members on this final NJC offer. Before passing instant judgement and slobbering over the thought of leading their members (who they obviously consider too thick to think for themselves) into the valhalla of glorious strike action.
I think it is fair to say "well done" to the Joint Union negotiators for helping to bring a positive offer to the table in these difficult times and also getting a fairly significant increase on the previous offer. I can imagine the Daily Hate headlines tomorrow morning. But maybe we can get more?
My employer is so far still holding out on a 0% increase for non-NJC Staff (i.e staff not on local government rates – usually directly employed staff who do not have TUPE protection). With us there is any appeal process in hand and this offer should help us argue against the 0% non-offer. I am just back tonight from a Housing Association Branch Executive meeting where I heard that one employer proposed a 5% cut in wages. This was beaten back and in fact many employers have increased wages for this year by more than 1%.
I think that those in local government UNISON leadership roles should wait until they can properly consult their ordinary members on this final NJC offer. Before passing instant judgement and slobbering over the thought of leading their members (who they obviously consider too thick to think for themselves) into the valhalla of glorious strike action.
