Council workers’ pay offer sets up potential summer of strikes – Inside Croydon

There is the possibility of a summer of strikes at local councils across the country – including in Croydon – after national negotiators offered a pay rise of barely half of what the unions were asking for in the 2024-25 pay round.

More costs: despite its £1.5 billion “toxic” debt, cash-strapped Croydon will get no help from the government to meet its latest staff pay rise.

Union officials representing most of the 1.5 million workers employed by local councils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland described the offer as “disappointing”.

The Local Government Association, which represents employers, has put forward a “full and final offer” of a 5.77% rise for the lowest paid, backdating from April 1 this year, with a pay rise of at least £1,290 .

Council workers in higher pay grades were offered a 2.5% rise.

The pay rises will have to be funded entirely from councils’ own budgets, including cash-strapped Croydon. The Conservative government has refused to provide additional funding for pay rises.

In February, unions Unison, GMB and Unite submitted a demand for a 10% pay rise, or £3,000 for the lowest paid council and school staff in 350 local authorities. The lowest paid local government workers are currently on £22,366 a year.

Unions will argue that the offer will represent a cut in wages for their members. Inflation in the UK reached 10.1% last year. More recently, inflation has fallen to 3.2%.

The LGA’s Tim Roca, who chairs local government employers, said: “For the lowest paid, the offer means their pay will rise by £5,323 – almost 30% – over the three years from April 2021.

“National employers are very aware of the additional pressure this year’s offer will put on already strained council finances as they would have to be paid for out of existing budgets.

“However, they believe their offer is fair to employees given the wider economic context.”

Voting members: GMB’s Rachel Harrison

The GMB union is already planning to ballot its members for possible industrial action.

Rachel Harrison, GMB national secretary, said: “On the face of it, the deal looks disappointing – a lump sum of £1,290 equates to just 5.7% for the lowest paid.

“The LGA has rejected our demands for a shorter working week, extra days off and a commitment to work for a minimum of £15 an hour. The GMB will now speak to our local government and school boards to decide our position on the offer and then put all members to a vote.”

Inside Croydon – If you want real journalism, delivering real news, from a publication that is based in the borough, please consider paying for it. Sign up today: Click here for more details

• If you have a story about life in or around Croydon, or want to advertise your residents’ association or business, or have a local event to promote, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@ btinternet.com

• As featured on Google News Showcase

• ROTTEN BOROUGH AWARDS: In January 2024, Croydon was named among the country’s most rotten boroughs for the seventh consecutive year in the annual summary of civic advertising Private magazine