Local Government Pay Update

28/04/2020

As you know, the NJC Employers have made a pay offer of 2.75%, along with one extra day of annual leave on the minimum, and a promise that they would approach government to ask for more money for local government pay. See the UNISON local government branch circular dated 17 April for the Employers’ letter along with the Trade Unions’ response.

Later on 17 April, the Employers wrote to the unions again. This new letter made it clear that in their view, this was a final pay offer, and they encouraged us to begin consulting on it. They also stated that they wanted to begin discussions about the impact of the increased National Living Wage from 2021, but said they could not do this until 2020-21 pay is settled. Your NJC Executive members met and agreed to respond jointly with the other unions. The unions’ response, dated 20 April, is attached. We made clear that we did not consider the negotiations to be complete. The Employers’ Side were still planning to write to the government asking for more money for local government pay. But they had not decided whether to agree to a joint process with the unions to take this forward, and they had not told us what they would be seeking from government.

On 24 April, the Employers wrote to the unions again, and again stated that this was a final pay offer. 

It has been agreed to hold a ‘virtual meeting’ of the UNISON NJC Committee, so that it can discuss the negotiations and decide what course of action it wishes to take with regard to responding to the Employers and consulting members. This meeting will take place on Friday, 1 May, and we will update members further after that.