"Is the end in sight for national pay bargaining?" asks Labour Research Department in a recent feature on the demise of local government’s National Joint Council.
http://www.lrd.org.uk/issue.php?pagid=1&issueid=1393
It is a question which should be concentrating the minds of all UNISON members, activists, organisers and negotiators in local government.
On 1 April 2010, local government workers employed on NJC conditions in England, Northern Ireland and Wales were due a cost of living rise in pay.
Not only did the employers make no offer they did not even sit down and discuss their stance with the trade unions who are party to the NJC agreement – UNISON, GMB & Unite.
http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/NJCpay2010-11stewards%20briefing.pdf
The employers at national level cite ‘unaffordability’ despite the fact that UNISON research has established 59% of Councils had expected a pay increase this year and a greater number (79%) had budgeted for one.
To add insult to injury the employers’ organisation, the LGE, has said that it will disregard Government policy and refuse to pay the £250 rise to workers earning less than £21,000 per year (67% of the local government workforce) – again contemptuously informing local authorities without any discussions with the unions. The same employers are implementing a 2.3% rise for teachers.
Meanwhile, the employers side goes through the motions of consulting with its regional constituent organisations on 2011/12 pay negotiations as though it is business as usual.
The unilateral action is not limited to pay – a recent LGE circular on ‘reducing workforce costs’ was issued without any joint consultation at national level. This occured in the same month (June) that £1.165bn cutbacks were announced in English council budgets the current financial year (including an enormous £806m in revenue budgets and grants).
This parlous state of affairs demands a far more robust response than that shown so far by UNISON and other NJC unions. There is no precedent in living memory of Whitley Council principles being unilaterally set aside and local government unions being sidelined for collective bargaining purposes.
We are sleepwalking into de-recognition at national level and urgent action at branch, regional and national is required to challenge the LGE anti union stance.
To suggest that fighting for pay is somehow less important or unpopular than defending members jobs is a false argument and is defeatist. Pay and job security are integral to defending the living standards of our members.
It is not too late for the NJC committee meeting on 7 July to agree a campaign of protest action leading to a consultative ballot in the autumn on industrial action for a justified pay rise and in defence of the national agreement.
For background to NJC pay impasse read:
http://unisonactive.blogspot.com/2010/01/unison-active-analysis-njc-pay-freeze.html
