NJC and Schools Update
Posted on:
Dear GMB Members
As you are aware, following the outcome of the NJC pay ballot for Local Government and Schools, the majority of GMB members who participated in the ballot decided to accept.
During the ballot process, many GMB members told us that, although they were disappointed with the pay offer, they are struggling to make ends meet due to the cost-of-living crisis and they did not want to experience delays in receiving the pay award for this year and just wanted the pay in their pockets now.
Unite and Unison also consulted their members on the offer which was rejected and have now decided to proceed to industrial action ballots.
Both unions will be conducting their ballots between the end of August and mid-October.
On the 29th of July the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announced that this new government accepts the public sector pay review bodies recommendations in full. In response to this announcement the joint recognised unions, GMB, Unison and Unite responded in writing to the National Employers of the LGA.
Please see the attached link below to the joint letter.
joint-union-letter-1-aug-2024.pdf
On the 7th of August the National Employers responded to the joint trade union letter in writing.
Please see the attached response by clinking on the link below.
GMB will continue to campaign locally on issues that matter to you, our members, including funding arrangements, equal pay and campaigns around local industrial issues.
In September, GMB will launch school-specific local campaigns around issues that GMB members are telling us are important to them. Some of these include:
- Make My Day - GMB school support staff members overwhelmingly told us that they wanted an extra paid day off that they could take for personal or wellbeing purposes that they could take during term time. This was included in the joint trade union pay claim for 2024/25 but rejected by the National Employers.
- SEND Campaign - Supporting GMB members working in education settings.
- (TTO) Term Time Only Working Project - Aimed at addressing issues specific to term time-only working arrangements.