Partner Article

Local government pay deal settled

A deadlock over local government pay has been broken with a move to a 1.25% rise for the lowest earners.

Local government staff working in England, Wales and Northern Ireland had been offered just 0.5%, but this has been increased to 1.25% for lower paid workers and 1% for those earning between £14,197 - £41,083.

The offer also includes one extra day’s leave from 1 April 2009, and a commitment to a joint redundancy avoidance agreement to be in place by 1 December 2009.

Public sector union, Unison, will meet next week to start consulting on the offer.

Unison’s Head of Local Government, Heather Wakefield, said: “We are pleased that the local government employers have come forward with an improved pay offer. While we believe that our members are worth more, we are pleased that the employers have realised that 0.5% was an insult.

“It is also vital that we have an agreement in place to protect jobs in the sector. This will help keep services running through the recession – when families and communities need them most.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .