7/31/2019 LG 49 2012 Pay Claim and Campaign 2013 14

1/2

LG/49/2012

Lucille Thirlby 020 7121 5315

L.Thirlby@unison.co.uk Sarah Pearce 020 7121 5261sarah.pearce@unison.co.uk

To: Secretaries of Local Government Branches in England, Walesand Northern Ireland (Scotland for information)Regional Heads of Local GovernmentRegistered Professional/Sectional Bodies - for information

9 October 2012

PAY MATTERS! NJC PAY CLAIM 2013/14 AND CAMPAIGN

This circular updates branches on the progress of the NJC pay claim for 2013-14 and the campaign UNISON will be running.

Pay Claim

At the meeting of the UNISON NJC committee held on 26 September, the committeeconsidered the results of the branch consultation over the 2013-14 NJC pay claim.This shows that whilst pay remains a difficult issue in the context of the financialcrisis in local government and job cuts, the overwhelming majority of branchessupported the proposed parameters for the claim. This has also been agreed byGMB and Unite.

The Committee and the full NJC TU side received a draft NJC claim document whichwas discussed and the general direction/format agreed by all three unions. The claimwill be lodged with the Local Government Employers in October, date to beconfirmed.

Campaign

We are in the process of developing a campaign plan for branches to develop atlocal level. There is a lot we can engage with our members on in terms of the payclaim. We need to build members understanding and confidence to ensure weachieve our longer term objective of restoring pay levels and establishing the LivingWage as the bottom NJC spinal column point. A range of materials are in productionand we are aiming for them to be available for branches from mid October onwards.

/var/www/apps/conversion/current/tmp/scratch_5/113093143.doc

mailto:L.Thirlby@unison.co.ukmailto:sarah.pearce@unison.co.ukmailto:L.Thirlby@unison.co.ukmailto:sarah.pearce@unison.co.uk

7/31/2019 LG 49 2012 Pay Claim and Campaign 2013 14

2/2

The first stage of the campaign will be to build awareness of the NJC pay claim atlocal level with members and Councillors. Branches are asked to call meetings of members to show the NJC pay video, discuss the claim and the campaign once theclaim is lodged and use the following materials to engage members:

A postcard for members to complete Councillor letter and lobbying information

NJC pay film

Leaflet for members

NJC Pay materials, on key facts about NJC pay, women and NJC pay, Localpay bargaining, part-time workers

Living Wage campaigns

Stewards briefing

PowerPoint presentation

Newsletter template

We will also ask activists and members to Tweet about your pay on the day wesubmit the pay claim.

We will also be sending you a report on the findings of the branch survey of cuts topay and conditions.

Working with other unions

It is crucial we work closely with the GMB and Unite at local level to take our objectives forward, We have agreed that we will produce joint trade union materialsfor use at branch level. If branches are setting up meetings with Leaders of your council, where possible please do this on a joint union basis.

We welcome any comments or ideas from branches about how to build thecampaign and ensure we achieve our objective of restoring NJC pay levels andachieving the Living Wage as the bottom NJC spinal column point.

With best wishes

Heather WakefieldNational SecretaryLocal Government Service Group

2