Barnet UNISON Branch to recommend to members rejection of revised national pay offer
Barnet UNISON Local Government Branch Executive
Wednesday 15 October
The following motion was debated and agreed.
Pay Dispute
This Branch Executive condemns the National decision to suspend the strike planned and organised for 14th October based on the employers latest pay proposals which do not come anywhere near to addressing our pay claim and are nowhere near to even covering the current inflation rate and that expected next year.
This Branch Executive agrees to raise our objections at Regional and National level to the last minute decision to call off the action agreed by members. If the proposals were agreed this would lock the union into taking no action on pay for at least another two years.
The National consultation on these pitiful and derisory proposals is due to commence on 20th October through individual Branch ballots. The proposals to be consulted on are:
2.2% increase payable from 1/1/2015, covering pay years 2014/15 and 2015/2016.
Larger increases for the very lowest paid on Spinal column points 5 – 10 (from 8.56% to 2.32%)
No back pay but unconsolidated payments of £100 for most workers, £150 for scp 8-10 and £325 for scp 5-7.
Further small unconsolidated payments in April 2015 to bring the amount paid up to the equivalent of 1% for 2014/15
The proposal fails to deliver the Living Wage for the lowest paid – and indeed in those authorities where it has already been achieved the lowest paid could get no increase at all
The proposal, of a 2.2% increase for most workers over two years with more for the very lowest paid, delivers no more than the 1% already offered for most workers in 2014/2015 and slightly less than 1.2% for 2015/16. It effectively accepts pay restraint not only this year but through the first year of the next government.
This Branch agrees to use all Branch resources necessary to campaign amongst members to urge them to reject the proposals and to return to industrial action if necessary to secure a decent pay rise and to work with other Branches and Regions where possible to achieve a national rejection of the proposals. We also agree to continue to build solidarity for health workers, civil servants and others still due to take action on pay and to build for the TUC “Britain Needs a Pay Rise” demonstration on 18.