Local Government workers reluctantly accept pay offer but bosses withhold wages

Local Government craft workers in England and Wales have decided to accept this year’s pay offer of 2.475 per cent.

The consultative ballot organised by construction union UCATT resulted in members supporting the pay offer. Members voted by 61.9 per cent to 38.1 per cent in favour of the deal. Most members reluctantly agreed to the deal as it was judged the best achievable through negotiations.

However the 40,000 craft workers will have little to cheer this Christmas as cold hearted bosses confirmed that the workers will not receive either their new pay rates or their back pay, in December pay rates.

Workers are feeling especially aggrieved as the delay in resolving the pay award was solely down to the employers. The employers took an astonishing four months before they even made the unions an offer, severely delaying the entire negotiating process.

Alan Ritchie, general secretary of UCATT, said: “Hardworking local government craft workers are experiencing double pain this year. They have they had to accept a yearly pay rise below the rate of inflation, which does not reflect their commitment and hard work.  Then to cap it all bosses have refused to pay the workers what they are owed in time for Christmas, they should hang their heads in shame.”

Mr Ritchie, added: “The wages of these skilled workers are falling far below that of workers in the private sector. The Government are storing up trouble for the future. Further miserly pay offers, are likely to result in increased industrial tensions. Alternatively workers will simply leave local government for better paid jobs elsewhere. This will cause a recruitment crisis and councils will end up having to pay more for inferior work.”