As advised previously, Unite’s consultation on the National Employers’ final pay offer closes on Friday 14 October and GMB’s consultation closes on Friday 21 October. UNISON has already accepted the pay offer. In order for a formal collective agreement to be achieved, GMB and / or Unite must also vote to accept.
The full Trade Union Side will be meeting on Tuesday 1 November to discuss the results of their respective consultations and to decide whether to formally accept the employers’ offer. Therefore, if a pay deal is agreed, the NJC pay circular will not be issued before 1 November, even if before that date it has been announced that GMB’s and / or Unite’s members have voted in favour of accepting the employers’ offer.
Councils should not implement the employers’ pay offer until the NJC pay circular, which constitutes a formal collective agreement, has been issued.