Union members have overwhelmingly rejected this year's local government pay offer for staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In consultative ballots, 84% of voting Unite members and 77% of those from GMB rejected the 3.2% offer put forward by employers' side of the National Joint Council for Local Government Services (NJC).
The third union, UNISON, which is both the largest and the one with the biggest social work membership, is yet to report the results of its consultative ballot, but it recommended members reject the offer.
'Full and final' offer falls short of other public sector pay deals
Employers made their offer in April, saying it was "full and final", on the grounds that it would put “additional pressure…on hard-pressed council finances”, while being “fair to employees”.However, it falls short of the 3.6% rise given to social workers in the NHS in England, and the 4% for teachers, doctors and dentists, which matches the current offer to council workers in Scotland.
It is also below the current rate of inflation, according to the government's preferred consumer prices index (CPI) measure, which was 3.4% in the year to May 2025,
Council workers 'undervalued and overstretched'
Reflecting this backdrop, GMB national officer Kevin Brandstatter said: "GMB members have massively rejected this real terms pay cut; one of the worst in the public sector, made to unions as a full and final offer without even a meeting."He said the union's members were "fed up with being undervalued and overstretched".
The union is now seeking an urgent meeting with employers to discuss the offer.
Industrial action mooted
Unite, meanwhile, said it was considering balloting members on taking industrial action, though that would be dependent on talks with its fellow unions."Local government workers have had years of real terms pay cuts and this offer has completely failed to address that," said its general secretary, Sharon Graham.
"Council workers must not be made to pay the price for a funding crisis in local government that is not of their making and Unite will back them all the way in their fight for fair pay."
Council budgets in England are due to rise by 6.3% in real terms (or 9.1% in cash terms) this year compared with what was budgeted for 2024-25, according to government figures.
