NJC Local Government
After discussion at its Branch Committee, UNISON West Sussex believed the most appropriate pay claim for 2014/15 would be for ‘a minimum increase of £1 an hour on scale point 5 to achieve the Living Wage and the same flat rate increase on all other scale points’. Most other UNISON branches agreed with us, and this pay claim for 2014/15 has now been submitted by all three local government unions to the employers’ side.
- Local government pay is the lowest in the public sector – from top to bottom of the pay spine;
- Council reserves have increased by 20% since 2010-11 while NJC workers’ pay has fallen by 18%;
- Local government workers spend 50 pence of every £1 they earn in their local economies. A £1 an hour increase would boost the economy.
The union believes this is affordable and achievable. But it needs the support of its members. UNISON will be launching a pay campaign shortly and the Branch will be in touch with our West Sussex members so we can play our part.
Higher Education
On 31st October, UNISON members alongside UCU, the college lecturers union, took industrial action at Chichester University over a 1% pay offer by the employer.
The HE financial position is healthy, with a surplus of over £1billion recorded in the last financial accounts 2011/12. The sector has the money to make an improved pay offer that fairly reflects the contribution of staff providing services to students. The need for fair pay for higher education employees is urgent—with incomes squeezed to breaking point through a combination of rising prices, high energy bills, increased housing costs, pay cuts, and reduced welfare benefits.
Capita—West Sussex Contact Centre
UNISON West Sussex retains collective pay bargaining rights for this group of staff. After their previous local strike over pay for 2012/13 which resulted in an acceptable settlement, after negotiation Capita made an offer of 2.5% to settle the 2013/14 claim. The Branch conducted a consultative ballot with members, who voted to accept the offer.