What Do You Think of the ACAS Pay Offer?
The Choice is Yours

Despite the employers stating that they would not improve the pay offer or even return to negotiations, our successful strike action in July forced them to do exactly that.

The new offer, brokered by ACAS, proposes a two year pay deal with increases ranging from 7.7% to 10.9% for the lowest paid. Details of the offer are as follows:

• All council workers would receive a 3% increase with a new minimum rate of £5 an hour from 1 April 2002. This would be followed by a further 1% rise from 1 October this year, plus another 1% for the lowest two grades.

• In April 2003, council workers would receive a pay rise of 3.5% plus an additional 1% for the lowest paid.

• The establishment of an independently chaired Local Government Pay Commission to address issues of low pay and equal pay for workers in local government which will report back within one year.

Have Your Say

After a lively debate, the Branch Executive Committee agreed to back the national Trade Union side's recommendation of the ACAS offer. Whilst it falls short of what the joint Trade Unions were asking for, it is a significant increase on the employers' last pathetic pay offer, particularly for the low paid, and it doesn't tie us into a long term pay deal.

The setting up of a Pay Commission also represents a useful opportunity for a longer term settlement for council workers to be realised. The Catch Up and Match Up campaign is set to continue.

However, the crucial question is what you think of ACAS's pay offer. Do you think it's enough? Perhaps you are prepared to take long-term strike action to fight for more pay? Or maybe you want to accept the improved offer?

To find out your views, the Branch Executive Committee agreed a form of consultation with members that will maximise the participation of members across the council. Rather than have just one meeting in central Manchester (which most members won't be able to attend), the Committee decided that workplace meetings, whereby stewards fax the results of votes back to the Branch, was the most democratic method of determining members' views. Certainly, in previous consultations, this has proved to be one of the best ways to inform every member of all the issues and register their vote.

These meetings will be taking place over the next four weeks or so. Make sure you get your voice heard. If you want more information, contact your local steward.
The pay consultation period ends on September 11th, after which time the national picture of whether UNISON members choose to accept or reject the ACAS deal will be revealed.

Pay Notes

• The employers were hoping to get away with offering an overall pay envelope of just 5.5% over two years. As a result of July's strike, that's been increased to 7.7%

• July polls indicated that the general public supported UNISON's campaign for fair pay in local government. A Guardian poll revealed that 59% believed the strike action was justified, whilst a Sky News poll put the figure at 76%.

• The ACAS offer would give the lowest paid workers £5.32 an hour from April 2003, up from the current £4.80. A welcome increase for 284,000 local government workers who are predominantly women.

• As members are consulted on the ACAS offer, all proposed strike action has now been suspended.