Unions urge council workers to reject their latest pay offer

Published on Thursday 23 October 2008 10:01

COUNCIL workers were today receiving ballot papers asking them to vote on the latest local government pay offer.

But the three unions involved – Unison, GMB and Unite – are urging their members to reject the proposed increases of three per cent for this year and 2.5 per cent for 2009.

The new offer comes following two one-day strikes across the country, which saw schools and council offices close and bins go uncollected.

Dougie Black, Unison regional organiser and lead negotiator, said: "This offer is not a good offer – especially when inflation is riding around five per cent – but our negotiators felt that we should put it before our members in a full postal ballot.

"It is clear from employers' statements that they are digging in for a major dispute, and we will be telling our members that increased and longer strike action will be needed to deliver an offer that protects them from the major rises that they have experienced in food, heating and fuel."