Following UNISON members’ vote to reject the pay offer, the union has announced this evening that its NJC committee met yesterday afternoon and resolved to conduct a ballot for industrial action. The ballot will run from 4 September to 16 October.
The National Employers have responded to UNISON’s announcement as follows:
“The National Employers are very disappointed that employees are facing another lengthy delay in receiving their pay award because of UNISON’s decision to conduct a strike ballot that won’t even get underway until 4 September. We urge UNISON to think again and instead join with GMB in accepting the full and final pay offer”
You will be familiar from previous years with the view of the National Employers who advise very strongly against imposing any pay offer before the collective bargaining process has concluded. To do so would not only fragment the unity of the employers’ position but would also leave councils vulnerable to questions being asked by auditors about why, in the absence of a national collective agreement, expenditure has been unnecessarily incurred. Perhaps more importantly, councils would need to consider very carefully the wider legal issues, including those arising out of the cases of Kostal UK Limited v Dunkley and INEOS Infrastructure Grangemouth Limited v Jones & others. LGA subscribers can access comprehensive guidance on managing industrial action, along with associated FAQs.
Full list of outcomes
- Craftworkers – GMB and Unite have both voted to reject the pay offer
- Chief Officers – GMB have voted to accept, but the outcome of the UNISON ballot is not yet known
- Green Book – UNISON are balloting for strike action, their ballot will close on 16 October.