NJC Local Government and Schools Pay Settled for 2025/26
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The three trade unions (GMB, Unison and Unite) have settled the 2025 pay negotiations.
A full and final offer of 3.2% was made by the employers without even the courtesy of a meeting. There were no negotiations at all.
GMB recommended a rejection of the offer and around 75% of the members who voted agreed with the recommendation, voting to reject the offer and to support industrial action to secure a better offer.
Following the result of the ballot, GMB wrote to the employers demanding a meeting to secure a better offer. This and a later request from all three unions was rejected by the employers who confirmed the offer was full and final.
While the vote to reject the offer was very strong, unfortunately the number of those voting fell short of what is required for a formal postal ballot for industrial action to be undertaken.
In the circumstances, GMB regions and the National Local Government and Schools Committees had no option but to vote to settle negotiations for 2025.
Employers will be advised to implement the increase with effect from 1 April 2025 as soon as possible. This should ensure that members who are in receipt of benefits such as Universal Credit are not penalised, as a result of any back pay.
The three trade unions will work with the employers on a review of the NJC pay spine as a priority given the impact of the National Living Wage.
GMB has proposed to the other trade unions that work on the 2026 pay claim be undertaken in the autumn and that we demand early face to face negotiations with the employers.
You can read the joint trade union letter to the Local Government Association here: