By Gavin Mackintosh-
The Local Government Association has said that it has come to an agreement on the 2022-23 pay offer the unions representing local government employees which will see school support staff, including teaching assistants, and other council workers paid an extra £1,925 this year.
The offer means a 10.5 per cent hike for the lowest-paid and just over 4 per cent for higher earners covered by the agreement. It is the highest rise offered to local government pay negotiating body the National Joint Council (NJC) for a decade
The National Employers agreed in June that all local government staff would be offered a £1,925 pay rise, equating to a 10.5% rise for the lowest paid staff and 4% for the highest paid. The rise will be backdated to 1 April 2022.
As part of the offer, all employees regardless of their current leave entitlement or length of service, will receive a permanent increase of one day to their annual leave entitlement from 1 April 2023.
The National Joint Council has passed the pay offer. Unison and GMB agreed to the offer, but Unite the Union did not, despite this the pay offer has passed.
The unions had previously called for a pay rise of £2,000 or to match inflation, whichever was higher, and had criticised the initial offer for not matching this demand.
Yesterday Unison said the award is the highest offered to National Joint Council workers in over a decade.
Mike Short, the Unison national secretary for local government said: “Unison members voted clearly to accept the pay offer, and it will come as welcome relief to many of our members – particularly those who are lower paid – that it has been agreed before the holiday period.”
Mr Short said the union’s priority now would be to “get the money into the packets of workers as soon as possible, to help deal with the rapidly rising cost of living”.
“We know there is much more to do, as this pay settlement is still below inflation and we will be looking to submit a pay claim for 2023 as soon as practically possible, so the employers have no excuse for delaying making an offer next year,” Mr Short said.
Rachel Harrison, the GMB general secretary said: “GMB members accepted the Local Government pay offer with a 67% majority. Unison members also voted to accept the offer. The vote has therefore carried.
“Local employers have been contacted and advised to implement the pay offer.
“GMB will now start consulting members for next year’s pay claim.”
A spokesperson for the Local Government Employers said: “The employers are pleased that agreement has been reached. Councils will be working hard to get the pay increase, and backpay, into employees’ salaries in time for Christmas.