Last month, UNISON consulted you and your colleagues working in councils and schools in England, Cymru and Northern Ireland on your pay offer of 3.2%.
Whilst members voted to reject the offer, the turnout in the consultation was not high enough to suggest that we would be successful if UNISON balloted for industrial action. Anti-trade union laws enacted by the previous government have made substantial, legal industrial action difficult to achieve.
We know that members want to avoid a drawn-out process and would like to receive their pay increase as soon as possible. In light of this, UNISON’s committee of leading activists have reached an agreement alongside the other NJC trade unions to accept the employers’ offer of 3.2% (with backpay to 1 April).
We are working with the employers to ensure the uplift is paid as soon as possible and will start work immediately on developing an early pay claim for 2026, as well as beginning work on the much-needed review of the NJC pay spine.