local government

Local government pay: unions cave in

Following a sham "consultation" exercise UNISON negotiators, backed by Unite and the GMB, have called in government arbitrators ACAS to make a binding agreement which members will be unable to vote on.

Following one of the UK's biggest strikes in years, when half a million council workers walked out for two days against a sub inflationary 2.45% pay offer, unions have blocked further action.

Scottish councils back on strike alone

Local authority staff in Scotland are set to return to picket lines for another day after the employers refused to up their pay offer.

The strike will take place across Scotland on Wednesday 24 September. The move follows the earlier action on 20 August, which came after 150,000 members rejected an offer of 2.5%.

Youth workers say no to pay cuts

Youth and community workers for local councils have rejected the employers offer of a below inflation pay "rise" of 2.45%.

The offer is for employees on JNC pay and conditions, which includes workers in youth clubs and Connexions advisers, and was rejected by both UNISON and the youth workers' branch of Unite, the CYWU.

UNISON has launched a campaign for fair pay for youth and community workers, while the CYWU is to ballot its members for industrial action, asking:

Scottish council workers plan further strike action

Scotland faces more council strikes after local government employers refused to increase a 2.5% pay offer.

Union members had hoped local council body Cosla would offer a new one year deal taking inflation into account. However, Cosla said increasing the pay offer in the current economic climate would result in service and job cuts. Meanwhile, hundreds of other civil and public servants voted for strike action which could cause serious disruption to the justice system.

Council workers and civil servants strike in Scotland

Tens of thousands of striking council workers disrupted public services across Scotland today while Scottish civil servants also struck for their own pay dispute.

Schools were closed, rubbish went uncollected, ferry services were disrupted, and services like libraries were closed. Union leaders said an estimated 150,000 workers took part in the one-day strike over pay. The pay row is over an offer of 2.5% for each of the next three years, an offer made "derisory" by the rising cost of living.

Wildcat strike in Haringey Council

Benefits and taxation workers in Haringey Council walked out yesterday at the suspension of two shop stewards following the national pay strike last month.

Staff were protesting against the attack on two Unison shop stewards, Sheila Amaneer and Mark Tindley, suspended due to allegations of "intimidation" on the picket line during last month's strike.

Nearly all staff in the Benefits and Local Taxation office struck, and were due to meet today to vote on further official action.

Scottish council workers set strike date

150,000 Scottish council employees in Unison, Unite and the GMB have set a date for their strike action over a sub-inflation pay offer which would see schools shut, rubbish uncollected and other frontline services hit.

They overwhelmingly agreed on Thursday to take strike action on 20th August after the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) refused to improve a pay offer of 2.5 per cent a year for the next three years.

Arnie terminates California state workers

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed an executive order to sack 22,000 state workers and reduce 200,000 to the minimum wage.

California has one of the world's largest economies, but facing a budget deficit of more than $15bn (£7.6bn) Mr Schwarzenegger is seeking to shift the costs onto public sector workers.

Half a million council workers strike

Local government workers across England, Northern Ireland and Wales struck for two days alongside civil servants against sub inflationary pay rises.

More than 500,000 workers were on strike on July 16 and 17, bringing disruption to schools, town halls, refuse collections and libraries throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

"This has been a fantastic response from our members," said UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis. "Local government workers have shown their anger and resentment towards this pay offer.

More workers set to join council strike

Up to 100,000 civil servants could join 600,000 local government workers on strike in July, as 40,000 more council workers in Unite pledge to strike too.

One of the biggest outbreaks of industrial unrest for years will see tens of thousands of job centre workers, coastguards, driving examiners and other Government employees join a strike next month by council employees.

More than half a million local authority workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are staging a two-day walkout on July 16 and 17 after rejecting a 2.45% pay offer.