The West Sussex branch will shortly commence a consultative ballot for all members on NJC Pay. This comprises largely of WSCC staff, and support staff in schools and academies.
Please watch out for your ballot which will arrive by email. If you think your email address is no longer valid or you would rather we used a different address, please get in touch with us.
We will write separately to branch members at WSCC who are on local pay arrangements, as your pay award will undergo a different process, and is currently subject to a statutory recognition request at the Central Arbitration Committee.
For members on NJC Pay, the Local Government Employers’ NJC pay offer comprises:
- 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.
You can find out more on the offer in the PowerPoint presentation below and the slide:
NJC Pay Offer 2020 Branch Presentation
The UNISON NJC Committee (made up of lay UNISON workplace reps) met to consider the employer’s offer and whether to make a recommendation to members on whether to accept or reject the offer. The NJC Committee did not make a recommendation and has issued the following statement:
- The Committee believes strongly that this pay offer falls far short of what members need and deserve. Local government staff have suffered years of real terms pay cuts and have shown how vital they are during the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2.75% pay offer does not meet our pay claim, the increase in annual leave will benefit very few people, and there is nothing to meet our demand for a shorter working week. However, some on the committee noted that local government is struggling financially which could impact on jobs and that the offer is higher than inflation.
- The Committee is clear that discussions with the employers can go no further, so this offer is the best achievable by negotiation. If members wish to reject the offer, they must be prepared to take significant industrial action in order to achieve an improved offer.
The West Sussex branch met and considered whether to make a recommendation of its own. The branch has voted to recommend rejection to members on previous NJC offers. After discussion it was decided also to not make a recommendation. This was largely for the reason that with the Covid-19 pandemic it is less easy for our reps to canvass member opinion. The consultative ballot will therefore give us the definitive word on your view.
Please take part in the ballot when you receive your email vote.