See below a press release that has just been posted on the UNISON website. We do not as yet have any further information. As soon as we receive more details we will provide a further update.
The three unions which represent more than 1.5 million workers in local government and schools – UNISON, GMB and UNITE – have today decided to suspend strike action planned for 14 October and consult their members on new proposals put forward by the Local Government Association as the best achievable by negotiation.
The proposals cover the period from 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2016.
In doing so, all three unions have made it clear that they want to strengthen the collective bargaining machinery covering local government and schools and move quickly to jointly tackle important issues facing their members with the Local Government Association. Members covered by the National Joint Council for Local Government have the lowest pay in the public sector and have suffered significant attacks on their conditions of work in recent years.
The unions will now move forward together to consult their members.
UNISON Head of Local Government, Heather Wakefield said:
“These have been tough negotiations, in a tough financial climate for local government and our members. It is right that those members – who are keeping councils and schools going in tough conditions – will now have the chance to make their voice heard by voting on the LGA’s proposals.”
