Unions call for a ‘long overdue’ council pay rise

Three unions have submitted a pay claim that attempts to narrow the growing gap between declining wages and the rising cost of living.

UNISON, Unite and the GMB, who together represent over 1.6 million local government employees, argue that local government workers should be given a five per cent pay rise following eight years of government-imposed pay restraint, which has seen wages either frozen or held to a one per cent increase.

Having made a claim, the unions are also seeking to move the lowest paid staff onto the real living wage of £8.45 an hour (£9.75 in London).

Heather Wakefield, UNISON head of local government, said: “Local government has the lowest paid workers in the public sector, and many council employees and their families are struggling to keep afloat. With every price increase, their standard of living gets worse.

“New recruits and experienced staff are essential for the smooth running of services. Yet poverty pay means local authorities are struggling to attract and hold on to staff, and those left are doing more for less. Theresa May needs to show the country she’s listening to the concerns of ordinary people by coming up with the cash to give dedicated public service workers a long overdue, decent pay rise.”

Fiona Farmer, Unite national officer for local authorities, added: “Local government workers in waste, refuse, maintenance, schools and leisure have suffered from years of austerity with significant cuts to services, jobs and pay. They provide an invaluable service at the heart of their communities on a daily basis and deserve better than the pay cuts that have left them struggling to make ends meet.”

Rehana Azam, GMB national secretary for public services, said: “Local government workers are suffering the worst squeeze on their pay in living memory, contributing to a public sector recruitment and retention crisis that is undermining the quality of services for everyone. Enough is enough. Our vital and under-appreciated staff must get a pay rise of at least five per cent to compensate for almost a decade of real-terms wage cuts. That is what they need and deserve.”