16 July 2008
Dear Colleague
The WLGA as the Employer’s body for Wales fully recognises that local government workers are affected by the current difficult economic climate and rising inflationary costs. The Employers’ pay offer of 2.45% is however at the limit of what we can afford, especially in light of the very poor 2.4% average Welsh settlement for councils last year from the Welsh Assembly Government.
The amount of money that local government receives from the Assembly has already been set for the three-year period from April 2008 to March 2011. For example next years local government settlement is only 2.5% as an average across the 22 councils and the year after 2.9%. The Employers’ pay offer uses every penny that we have available. Any higher pay offer could be funded only by increases in council tax or cuts in services. But council tax payers are also facing rising prices and it would be unfair of local authorities to add to their burden or reduce the quality of the provision they receive. Similarly WLGA estimates that increased energy costs for this financial year will hit local authorities to the tune of at least £12m. With authorities also addressing key HR issues like job evaluation and equal pay there is no scope to do anymore on the pay issue.
Employers have tried to recognise the impact of the increased cost of living on the lowest-paid local government workers. For those on the bottom three national pay points the offer includes an extra £100 a year, taking the total increase for them from 2.45% to 3.3%.
Only Unison and Unite/T&G have voted to go on strike. GMB members have recognised that there is no prospect of any increase in the pay offer and decided not to ballot for strike action. In fact, when you add up all the figures, only about 7% of employees covered by this pay offer have actually voted to strike.
What will it cost to go on strike?
Please think carefully before going on strike. For every day on strike you will lose one-fifth of a week’s pay. So if you are on strike on both 16th and 17th July you’ll lose two-fifths, or 40%, of a week’s pay.
If you are part-time then you will obviously lose less but it will still be the same proportion of your total pay (if you work five days a week).
The above figures do not include losses in pension contributions. The Employers’ offer is 2.45%; it would have to increase to 3.2% simply for you to recover the money you would lose by going on strike. But there cannot be any increase in the offer because there is no more money available. Unfortunately the Employer’s last offer is the final offer.
It is up to you as union members to act on your conscience and determine which course of action represents your best interests. We fully respect the right of union members to take industrial action. However, in light of the facts presented above it is very difficult to see what can be gained from going on strike.
Yours sincerely,
Steve Thomas
Chief Executive / Prif Weithredwr