UNISON members in local government and schools have decided through a democratic ballot to take strike action over pay. We have done so because our take-home pay has fallen by a massive 20% in real terms since 2009.
If our pay had simply risen in line with inflation, we would all be thousands of pounds better off each year. Below-inflation or non-existent pay awards will continue until UNISON members take action to stop them. The graph below shows the cumulative effect of falling pay:
Example jobs
Someone on Grade 1, sp5 (e.g. a cleaner) is £1,994 per year worse off. If pay had matched inflation they would be earning £14,429 instead of £12,435.
Someone on Grade 2, sp10 (e.g. midday meals supervisor) is £2,247 per year worse off. If pay had matched inflation they would be earning £16,260 instead of £14,013.
Someone on Grade 5, sp19 (e.g. senior library assistant) is £2,882 per year worse off. If pay had matched inflation they would be earning £20,862 instead of £17,980.
Someone on Grade 10, sp38 (e.g. a senior social worker) is £5,142 per year worse off. If pay had matched inflation they would be earning £37,214 instead of £32,072.
Download ‘what you should be earning’ and share it with colleagues.
A letter from our General Secretary
UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis has written a letter to all UNISON members about the strike action. Download and read it here.
Take the Powerpoint tour
Find out more about why we are taking strike action and why this is one battle we literally cannot afford to lose.