UPDATE - Scottish Local Government Pay

COSLA yesterday tabled a revised and improved pay offer for all local government workers.

The pay offer is for a period of three years and covers the period 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2021. The award for 2018 will be backdated to 1 April 2018 application date.

The pay offer and associated elements which make up the package are as follows: -

• 2018/19 an increase of 3.5% (capped at £80,000, on or above which a flat rate of £1600 will apply).

• 2019/20 an increase of 3% 

• 2020/21 an increase of 3% 

In each of these three years the Scottish Local Government Living Wage will rise by the percentage uplift referred to above.

The Scottish Local Government committee met this morning to consider this offer and have decided to recommend ACCEPTANCE of this offer in a consultative ballot of members which will commence on the 7th January 2019.

In order that UNISON Angus members are fully informed about how the revised offer was considered, we can let you know that the Local Government Committee were mindful that:

• Significant progress had been made in negotiations with the employer – key elements of the revised offer such as the commitment to full consolidation of the living wage - were not a feature of either of the two preceding offers;

• Whilst the offer does not meet all aspects of the claim it makes progress in all areas of it and is the best that could be achieved through negotiation;

• The progress made has been as a direct result of the campaign that has been built with members throughout the year;

• The cost of living increases proposed are in excess of the current and predicted RPI rates for the duration of the offer;

• A working group will be established to oversee the process of consolidation of the Living Wage and that will report to the Scottish Joint Council.  Councils should aim to achieve consolidation by March 2021 but in the small number of councils which may require additional time an agreement will be reached locally with the trade unions which will incorporate a firm commitment that any such extension will carry a final implementation date of 2022;

• The principle of parity across the local government bargaining groups is reaffirmed.  The additional funds provided by the Scottish government to fund the review of the teachers’ main grade has been matched by the additional cost of the improved offer to our members in 2018/19 and the additional costs that Councils will incur due to the commitment to consolidate the Scottish Living Wage.  There is the commitment to re-open negotiations with the trade unions in the event of another local government bargaining group’s total pay offer value being revised such that it becomes greater than the sum agreed between COSLA Leaders and the SJC Trade Unions for the SJC workforce. The current cost of living offer to teachers unions is 3% for each year 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21.

UNISON Angus are mindful that the revised pay offer will generate much debate and discussion, some of which has been on Yammer. We’d therefore really welcome your thoughts on it so that both the Branch and UNISON Scotland are fully advised and informed with regards to your views. You can contact us by email at office@unison-angus.org.uk or you can reply to our blog post at : http://angusunison.blogspot.co.uk or our posts on our UNISON Angus Facebook page.