Vote in the online ballot and reject the offer

You can vote securely at: unison.org.uk/lgscot17 from 17 March to 12 noon on 7 April, 2017. UNISON will also email the link to all members we have an email address for. PLEASE NOTE: THE ONLINE BALLOT IS THE ONLY WAY TO RECORD YOUR VOTE. THERE IS NO PAPER BALLOT. VOTE NOW TO REJECT.

Why you should reject the offer

What’s not fair?
Your pay is worth far less now than ten years ago after years of pay restraint and inflation. Local government workers are seeing their living standards squeezed as the prices of food, gas and electricity, travel, food and childcare continue to rise. But while inflation indexes show how costs are rising, the impact on individual households is often worse. This can not continue.

The employers have offered:
• Employees earning less than £35,000 a £350* increase (*pro rata based on 37 hours)
• Employees earning more than £35,000 a 1 per cent increase.
• Scottish Local Government Living Wage is the minimum pay for all pay and allowances including additional hours, contractual overtime and other allowances. It will be pensionable.

What is fair?
The employers’ offer falls far short of our claim. We asked for:
• A flat rate payment of £1,000 for all employees.
• The continued uprating of the Scottish Local Government Living Wage.
• A future pay strategy to identify and redress the imbalance caused by previous pay awards below the rate of inflation.

How do I vote?
UNISON recommends you vote to REJECT the offer. This is an online consultative ballot. You can vote securely at: unison.org.uk/lgscot17. UNISON will also email the link to all members we have an email address for.

Am I being asked to strike?
NO. This is a consultative ballot to seek your views on the employers’ final offer. This is a first step before a formal ballot is held.

Even though this is a consultative ballot, it is very important you vote. Due to the Government’s new Trade Union Act, it is now a requirement that 50% of members respond in a formal ballot before industrial action can be held. If this consultative ballot delivers a strong positive vote, we will then be in a position to move to a formal industrial action ballot.

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