LGS pay 2023: GMB rejects pay offer

GMB have announced that its national committee had met and agreed to conduct a consultative ballot of its members with a recommendation that the employers’ final offer be rejected. It will explain that by rejecting the offer, GMB members will be indicating their willingness to participate in future industrial action. We await further details of the timetable of GMB’s consultation process.

They also await formal confirmation of UNISON’s position.

Media statement released by Unite.

The last line states, “Further negotiations are to be held with local government employers today (Wednesday 8 March) alongside Unison and GMB, where the unions will be seeking a significant improvement in the pay offer.”

The meeting on Wednesday 8 March is taking place at the request of the unions, who asked to meet with the employers to discuss the pay offer. The National Employers will be represented at the meeting by four lead members who have no remit other than to reaffirm the offer as full and final and to relay back to the full Employers’ Side, the views expressed by the unions.

If UNISON and GMB formally confirm their positions on the offer at the meeting, there will be a further update.

Unite Press Release

For immediate release: Wednesday 8 March 2023

Unite recommends rejection of local government pay offer

Workers facing an up to 10 per cent pay cut

Members of Unite’s national committee representing workers in councils across England have decided to recommend rejection of the local government pay offer.

Last month, the local government employers made a pay offer that was worth between 3.88 and 9.42 per cent for 2023/24, depending on grade. With the current real inflation rate (RPI) currently standing at 13.4 per cent this amounts to a real terms pay cut of nearly 10 per cent for some members.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Local government workers provide vital frontline services. They are now absolutely determined to fight for a pay increase that will not see their pay eroded by inflation for yet another year.

“Local government employers need to enter into full pay negotiations and make a decent pay offer if industrial action is to be avoided.”

Local government representatives in Unite have rejected the initial offer, principally because it is even lower than the offer made to workers last year, at a time when the rate of inflation is even higher than it was then. 

Unite acting national officer Clare Keogh said: “Local government employers need to recognise that there is growing anger among local government workers about the way they are treated year after year in pay negotiations. If the employers want to avoid industrial action they need to make a much improved offer. It is as simple as that.”

Further negotiations are to be held with local government employers today (Wednesday) alongside Unison and GMB, where the unions will be seeking a significant improvement in the pay offer.

 ENDS