People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin said,
“Council workers deserve respect. It’s time for a significant pay rise of at least 10%.
The pandemic has made clear the true value of workers and just how essential they are. We need to end the blight of low-pay.
We’re calling on Derry and Strabane Council to support the united trade union demand for council workers and school workers to receive a 10%+ pay increase.
Our council workers kept our streets clean and our cemeteries open over the last year. Throughout the pandemic they remained on the frontline to collect our rubbish, deal with our recycling and much more.
Our classroom workers, school cleaners, cafeteria workers and many other staff are absolutely essential to making our schools places where our children can learn, develop and thrive. In the midst of all the uncertainty over the last year, school workers were a rock.
A 10% pay increase will not make up for the decade of pay cuts they’ve endured.
The money is there to afford a significant pay rise now. Westminster, the Stormont government and big employers need to realise the pandemic has changed everything. It’s time for workers equality to become the priority that it should be.”
People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin motion to the March full meeting of the Derry and Strabane District Council on Thursday March 25:
Council workers and school workers deserve 10%+ Pay Rise
Council notes:
Over the last year, councils have led the way in efforts against the Covid-19 pandemic, providing a huge range of services and support for our communities. Local government has shown more than ever how indispensable it is. But the pandemic has led to a massive increase in expenditure and loss of income, and the Government has failed to provide the full amount of promised support. Local government workers have kept our communities safe through the pandemic, often putting themselves at considerable risk as they work to protect public health and ensure our children continue to be educated. Since 2010, the local government workforce has endured years of pay restraint with the majority of pay points losing at least 23 per cent of their value since 2009/10. At the same time, workers have experienced ever-increasing workloads and persistent job insecurity. Local government has arguably been hit by more severe job losses than any other part of the public sector. The funding gap caused by Covid-19 will make local government employment even more precarious. There has been a disproportionate impact on women, with women making up more than three-quarters of the local government workforce. Recent research shows that if the Government were to fully fund the unions’ 2021 pay claim, around half of the money would be recouped thanks to increased tax revenue, reduced expenditure on benefits, and increased consumer spending in the local economy.
Council believes:
Our workers are public service super-heroes. They keep our communities clean and safe, look after those in need and keep our towns and cities running. Without the professionalism and dedication of our staff, the council services our residents rely on would not be deliverable. Local government workers deserve a proper real-terms pay increase. The Government needs to take responsibility and fully fund this increase; it should not put the burden on local authorities whose funding been cut to the bone and who have not been offered adequate support through the Covid-19 pandemic.
Council resolves to:
Support the pay claim submitted by UNISON, GMB and Unite with NIPSA support on behalf of council and school workers, for a substantial increase with a minimum 10 per cent uplift in April 2021. Call on the Local Government Association to make urgent representations to central government to fund the NJC pay claim. Write to the Chancellor and Secretary of State to call for a pay increase for local government workers to be funded with new money from central government. Meet with local NJC union representatives to convey support for the pay claim and consider practical ways in which the council can support the campaign. Encourage all local government workers to join a union.
