The Local Government Employers have made a 1% offer in the NJC pay negotiations with trade unions for the 2014-15 financial year. Unison and the other unions are now consulting members on whether or not we wish to accept the offer. Unison is recommending that we reject the offer. Read on for more information…
The NJC is the pay body that governs pay for most local government workers (other than craft workers and certain youth & community workers).
Unison feels the 1% pay offer for 2014-15 is far too low, given the pay freeze we had from 2010-2013 and the tiny 1% increase in 2013-14. We asked for a £1 per hour pay increase for all grades – and £1.20 per hour in London – and this offer is much less.
Unison will be consulting members on whether to accept the offer and will be recommending rejection.
Whether you are on the new or the old (pre-2013) contract, NJC pay matters to you. Camden Council insists that it remains an NJC employer and has stated in writing that it will pay NJC awards not only to all those on the Service Provider (SP) contracts (Levels 1 and 2, the old Scale 6 and below), but to those on Professional & Managerial (P&M) contracts (Levels 3-5, the old SO1 and above) who receive an appraisal rating of 2 or above. In addition, those on P& M contracts should be aware that the amount of an NJC award will be an important factor in shaping the matrix for future bonus payments. Camden Unison is also campaigning for the NJC award to be granted to P&M staff who get an appraisal rating of 1 as well, and has received verbal assurance from councillors that this will be the case.