UNISON is calling on local government members to sign up to support our urgent campaign for pay justice for our members.
Head of local government Heather Wakefield explains: “UNISON is calling for a minimum increase of £1 a hour on scale point 5 to achieve the living wage and the same flat rate increase on all other scale points.
“We need your support in our urgent quest for pay justice for our members. They are the nursery nurses, care workers, social workers, environmental health officers, school meals workers, housing advisers, teaching assistants, lawyers, civil engineers, librarians and many others who are keeping quality local services running in the face of a 40% central government budget cut and over 400,000 redundancies.”
Almost a third of UNISON members – 515,000 – now earn below the living wage of £7.65 an hour. The bottom NJC pay rate is £6.45.
Ms Wakefield continued: “Everyone employed on NJC conditions has suffered an 18% decline in real earnings since 2010 – from the top to the bottom of the pay scale. Many are forced to rely on in-work benefits, food banks, pay-day loans and our own welfare services to survive.
“As politicians across the political spectrum rightly call for action to end low pay and for the living wage to become the legal wage ‘floor’, we are also calling for it to become the lowest pay point in local government.
“We believe that to be just, prudent and the minimum our members deserve. Paying the living wage and restoring lost earnings for the lowest paid group in the public sector would not just lift many of our members out of poverty and in-work benefits: it would boost demand in the economy and increase revenues to the Treasury through tax and national insurance take. In short, it could pay for itself.
“Local government pay and conditions have fallen far behind other public sector groups. This cannot continue. We hope that you will join our campaign for a fair deal for our members in 2014.”
