Strike Action update

Strike Action Update – Points of Clarification
 
Further to the post yesterday we have received a number of email responses from members seeking clarification on a couple of points. Rather than respond to everyone individually we thought it more useful to provide clarification to all members.
 
In the event that further strike action goes ahead on 1st November, only those members who were on strike for 3 days last month will be on strike again. It is only these members who are covered by our statutory ballot which closed in August. In order to include other members in this action, we would be required to carry out further statutory ballots for these groups. This is not being ruled out should the dispute continue. The ballot which closed this week was a consultative ballot of all council members on whether to accept or reject the revised pay offer. Consultative ballots do not provide us with a legal mandate to include other groups in strike action who were not included in the original statutory ballot. So put simply it will only be the 700+ members who were on strike last month who will be asked to take further strike action on the 1st November  – should that be required.

Once a pay offer/package has been accepted by UNISON, all council employees (excluding teachers) will receive the pay uplift regardless of whether they were on strike or not. This is not a schools/early years only dispute, it affects everyone. So even if you are not on strike it is important to support those members who are (as we know you will) as the resolution will affect and benefit all council members.