Local Government, Schools and NHS Pay - Industrial Action Ballots

UNISON members working in Local Government, Schools and the NHS will be balloted for strike action over this year's very poor pay offers from the employers.

In the case of the NHS Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Health, has over-ruled the pay bodies and only those NHS workers not due an increment will get a below inflation 1% pay increase this year. And even 

for those NHS staff who get the 1% it is an unconsolidated payment which means that it won’t be added to hourly pay rates so it won’t count for out of hours work or overtime. UNISON Health conference recently voted to ballot all Health members for industrial action.

For Local Government and Schools workers the pay offer is as follows:

• £580 on pay point 5 

• £550 on pay point 6 

• £400 on pay point 7 

• £275 on pay point 8 

• £200 on pay point 9 

• £175 on pay point 10 

• 1.0% on pay points 11 and above

In the recent consultative ballot 70% of Local Government and Schools workers voted to reject the pay offer and move to a ballot for industrial action.

This year all UNISON members must vote for industrial action, and we all need to take action on the same day, and also with other Trade Unions, including the NUT who have recently voted to take strike action during the week of 23rd June.

Look out for your ballot paper, make sure you vote, and vote in favour of taking industrial action this year. Because if we don't strike this year, then our employers will just keep treading all over us.