UNISON’s elected lay member National NJC Committee met to consider the results of the consultation of members on the 2020/21 pay offer for local government workers in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Overall members voted by 2 to 1 to accept the employers’ offer.
The results of the West Sussex branch consultation were 60% in favour of accepting, and 40% to reject.
Consequently the NJC Committee agreed to accept the offer while noting that it fell far short of our claim and did not properly reward a workforce of key workers who have gone above and beyond expectation during the COVID pandemic. The committee agreed that we should now start work on next year’s claim and call on the employers to work with us to secure additional funding form central government so that workers in local government get the decent reward they deserve.
The award is:
- With effect from 1 April 2020, an increase of 2.75% on all NJC pay points 1 and above
- With effect from 1 April 2020, an increase of one day to the minimum annual leave entitlement as set out at Part 2 Para 7.2 in the National Agreement.
- Continued discussions on “a comprehensive joint national review of the workplace causes of stress and mental health”
- Discussions, without prejudice, to examine all options for ensuring the sector – and the NJC pay spine – can meet the challenge of the Government’s target for the National Living Wage in the coming years.
The branch is now working with West Sussex employers to ensure this is paid as soon as possible, At WSCC this will be implemented with backpay to April in October’s pay packet. We are working with other employers who implement NJC pay to ensure the same.
Thank you to West Sussex members who took part in our ballot,