Fair pay for local gov't workers call

Unite has strongly welcomed a move by MPs to put pressure on employers and the government to grant a fair and decent pay rise for local government workers.

Labour MP Navendu Mishra has tabled an early day motion which condemns the proposed 1.5 per cent pay offer for local government workers and calls on the Local Government Association and local government employers to negotiate in good faith for a fair pay rise. The EDM has already secured cross party support

Last month Unite rejected the proposed pay offer. When inflation is taken into account the offer amounts to a pay cut in real terms and is worth just £1.03 a day for the lowest paid local government workers.

Local government workers have already experienced 11 years of pay freezes and below inflation pay increases.

Unite national officer for local government Jim Kennedy said, “The support of MPs for local government workers to receive a decent pay rise is very welcome.

“Local government workers have been on the frontline throughout the pandemic supporting our communities ensuring services are maintained in a safe manner, they deserve a decent pay rise and that is recognised across society,” he added

“It is frankly immoral to expect local government workers, who have seen their earnings dramatically fall in real terms over the last decade, to endure yet another year of real terms pay cuts,” Kennedy continued.

“Local government employers must stop evading the issue, enter into proper pay negotiations, acknowledge and value their workforce and come back with a real pay increase for these essential key workers.”

Unite is further warning that unless local government pay is urgently resolved, workers will begin to vote with their feet, creating a serious recruitment and retention crisis for the sector.

By Barckley Sumner