Pay- Deadlock broken by new offer?

Firstly I would like to update you as to what has been happening with regards to this years National Pay Award (some of you may refer to it as cost of living increase). For the previous three years we were tied into a three year deal so your increase was already calculated and paid from the 1 April.

This year there has been no increase for all staff . We have a new Prime Minister but it doesn’t appear to have changed Governments attitude to public sector workers.

Gordon Brown is determined to keep pay down to a 2% increase! It is important to understand that the cost of living is running at 4.8%. This means if things stay the same you are being offered a pay cut not a pay award! The latest news is that the Employers are offering more…wait for it…………..another 0.5%
http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=3618

Food, fuel, council tax, rent and mortgages are all increasing, much greater than 2 or 2.5% for example recently, interest rates for mortgages went up by 0.25 %. For someone with a £100,000 mortgage this would equate to £16 a month increase. Will the 2 or 2.5% Pay Award offer be enough for you?

It was not good enough when it was debated at National Conference see
http://cms.unison.co.uk/MotionText.asp?DocumentID=997912
This motion was carried so it is likely that we could soon be balloting for industrial action

We have to report back to National ahead of their meeting on 4 September 2007. Barnet UNISON will put out a Poll online on our BLOG top left hand corner of this BLOG

Please take time to VOTE.

Have you signed No 10 Downing St Petition submitted by our branch to Gordon Brown?

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/PayClaim/