National News – Local Government Pay Offer

Pay offer for 2017 received by the Trade Unions.

Last week the Scottish Local Government employers, 5 months after the unions submitted a claim, made an offer on pay to the trade unions, UNISON, GMB and Unite. Was it worth the wait? Judge for yourself.

The offer is 1% or £250 for anyone earning £25,000 for a 37 hour week (£236 for someone working 35 hours).
In addition the minimum rate of £8.46 (a penny more than the Scottish Living Wage) will be consolidated into the pay rates and they agree to a working group to look at the longer term pay strategy.

UNISON’s Local Government branches heard a report on Friday. The offer was received by the unions the day before the deal in the Parliament that gave £160m extra for councils and so it is not a final offer and further negotiations will take place in the next couple of weeks.

The offer is well short of the claim the trade unions submitted and does not match the expected rate of inflation for April and so will not redress the years of falling value in the wages council workers. It does not even meet the Government pay policy which suggested £400 for those earning below £22,500.

UNISON branches will be engaging with members during the negotiations on the understanding that if an improved offer is not received then members will be asked to consider whether to take industrial action.

The GMB and Unite will also be discussing the offer with their members.