UNISON members on NJC pay in West Sussex voted resoundingly to REJECT the national employers’ new pay offer tabled after our July 10 strike.
The results of the Branch’s consultative ballot were as follows:
REJECT – 80%
ACCEPT – 20%
Thank you to all members who took part, on a turnout double that of our consultative ballot held prior to industrial action in April.
However, the picture across the rest of the UK was not so resolute. Despite pockets of strong rejection from some campaigning branches, UNISON members across the rest of the country voted by 2:1 to accept the pay offer put forward by the Local Government Association.
The proposals cover a two-year period from 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2016.
UNISON has made it clear it will continue to campaign for fair pay and conditions for local government and school workers, strengthen the collective bargaining machinery covering local government and schools and move quickly to jointly tackle other important issues facing their members with the Local Government Association.
Branch Secretary Dan Sartin said: “Members on NJC pay have the lowest pay in the public sector and have suffered significant attacks on their conditions of work in recent years. UNISON will continue to campaign for the Living Wage to become the minimum rate of pay and for a commensurate increase for all other NJC employees, to reflect the invaluable work that our members do to keep vital local services running.
“West Sussex members were ahead of the national curve this time and were angry and opposed to the latest pay offer. But we accept the national democratic outcome of the ballot and will continue to work hard to defend and enhance members’ terms and conditions.”