Vote Yes for strike action

Vote Yes for

strike action

Vote Yes for strike action

The unions’ 2014-15 pay claim

A minimum increase of £1 an hour on scale point 5 to achieve:• the Living Wage and….• The same flat rate increase on all other scale points• The Living Wage outside London has risen to £7.65 an hour.• We would now need an increase of £1.20 an hour to reach

the Living Wage on scale point 5

Vote Yes for strike action

The employers’ final offer • 1% for pay points 11- 49 (90% of workforce)• Lowest pay points 5-10 have been offered over 1% to avoid

falling below the National Minimum WageNew Hourly Rate£580 on pay point 5 £6.75£550 on pay point 6 £6.82£400 on pay point 7 £6.90£275 on pay point 8 £7.05 £200 on pay point 9 £7.22£175 on pay point 10 £7.35

•.

Vote Yes for strike action

It’s time to stand up for fair payThe employers’ offer is another pay cut – not a pay rise. It follows a 3-year pay freeze and a below-inflation pay increase of 1% last year. You deserve better. Before you vote remember that:

• Inflation is running at 2.5%

• Fuel, travel, food and childcare costs keep rising

• Average earnings are increasing by 2.6%

• Falling pay means a loss of pension for the rest of your life

• It’s time to stop the rot...before it gets any worse!

Vote Yes for strike action

It’s time to vote “YES” for strike action

• Don’t accept a pay cut for the fifth year in a row! The employers want to offer the lowest paid as little as possible – with next to nothing for everyone else

• Pay for most school and council workers will be worth 20% less than in 2010 – enough is enough!

• The landslide in your pay will continue unless we act together now

• Voting ‘no’ will NOT save jobs and services

Vote Yes for strike action

Our claim is affordable• Councils are choosing to stash the savings made by cutting jobs and pay

• In the last two years they have put an extra £2 billion in reserves, taking the total to over £19 billion

• The £2.6 billion the employers saved on basic pay in 2012 alone would pay for a 10% pay increase!

• And over half the cost of our claim would be re-couped in taxes and national insurance

• In the last three years, half of council savings have come from cuts to pay, conditions and jobs

• Our members are keeping schools and local services going, but bearing the brunt of the cuts and being taken for granted.

Vote Yes for strike action

Vote “YES” for strike action!

• 71% of UNISON members rejected the employers’ offer in our own pay consultation

• The industrial action ballot has been given the ‘go-ahead’

• YOU are worth much more than this pay offer – and so are those who rely on you

• 600,000 UNISON members in local government and schools• Unite is also balloting for strike action –

GMB pay consultation ends in mid-May.

Vote Yes for strike action

Ballot timetable

• Ballot opens on 23 May • Ballot papers will be sent to members’ home addresses • We need every member to vote - and vote “YES”• The first strike day will be 10 July • The employers’ offer will not be increased without real

pressure on them – especially before the local elections• UNISON is asking you to vote “YES” • If the employers don’t improve their offer, further strike action

will follow

Vote Yes for strike action

We can do it…together in UNISON!

• Tell your workmates about the pay offer – make sure they vote!!

• Recruit non-members - we’re stronger together• Lobby your councillors and make them listen!

If they want your vote in the local elections on 22 May, they need to support a decent pay offer for you

• Your branch can help you lobby them. There are model letters on UNISON’s web site too

Vote Yes for strike action

Ballot papers

• If you have not received a ballot paper by 29 May, ask for one on line at unison.org.uk/my-unison/welcome or call 0800 0 857 857 by 12 noon on 18 June

• Wherever you work, whatever job you do – make sure you vote and vote “YES” for strike action to get an improved pay offer