Local Government Employers play hardball on pay arbitration‏

The Local Government Chronicle reports on indications from the local government employers’ organisation for England, Wales & Northern Ireland that it will not enter into arbitration at ACAS. http://www.lgcplus.com/briefings/people/pay/lge-wont-participate-in-pay-freeze-arbitration/5018150.article?

The arbitration arises from a dispute lodged by NJC unions UNISON, GMB and Unite in response to an imposed pay freeze on all salary points from 2010/11.

What leverage the NJC unions can exert on the employers remains to be seen – over 4 months have elapsed since the 1 April settlement date.

The recent Scottish pay consultation ballot – in which 80% of those voting in a consultative ballot rejected a three year pay offer of 1% in the first year, 0% in the second and 0.5% in the third – is a concrete indication that UNISON members are not willing to sacrifice their living standards on the altar of Con Dem austerity measures.

It is important that opposition to pay cuts is prominent in the forthcoming protests in defence of public services on 29 September and 20 October. And the leadership in local government must urgently work out an industrial strategy to take the fight to an employers’ organisation which is contemptuous of both its workforce and the recognised trade unions.