Unite have announced that their members will be taking industrial action in 24 local authorities or council departments in England and Wales in September, in employers where they achieved a mandate for industrial action in their ballot held in July.
Unite have not given us a definitive list of employers or dates on which they will be taking action, but we understand that their action covers around 3,000 workers, some of whom are covered by the Green Book and some of whom are Red Book Craft Workers.
Branches will be aware that after consideration of UNISON’s industrial action ballot results in England and Wales on NJC pay 2023, the NJC Committee decided not to pursue industrial action, on the grounds that we did not achieve a mandate in enough significantly sized employers in order to have effective action that would be make a difference to the national negotiations.
GMB, the other NJC trade union, are due to ballot members in some employers, mostly in schools, in September and October.
As a result of UNISON’s position, we are currently engaging with the other unions to find a solution to 2023 pay and get going with a strong, positive campaign for 2024 as soon as possible. A meeting of the full trade union side of the NJC has been set for next week, 19 September, and it is hoped that progress will be made there. We will update branches further after this meeting.
In the meantime, UNISON respects Unite’s decision to call strike action and we offer our solidarity to members of Unite in local government who are taking action.
There are of course legal restrictions on what trade union members can do when members of other unions are taking action, and branches are asked to follow the advice below and ensure branches are aware of it.
UNISON Advice
UNISON respects the rights of other trade unions to take industrial action and supports the other unions’ strike action. We urge members to support legal protests and rallies organised by Unite that take place outside your contracted hours of work.
However, UNISON members in local government are not taking industrial action, and are therefore advised to continue with their normal duties and responsibilities. UNISON members should not take on any additional responsibilities being given to them directly as a result of other unions’ industrial action. Members who are under pressure to provide cover for striking colleagues should contact their UNISON rep, branch or region for further advice and support.
Members are reminded that due to industrial relations legislation only those employees who have been involved in a legal ballot are allowed to take industrial action.
West Northamptonshire Local Government UNISON 