Colchester Council and UNISON reach pay agreement amid strike threat

Public service union UNISON had warned council staff could stage a walk-out over the authority’s “refusal” to pass on a nationally agreed local government pay rise.

The union said workers at the council and Colchester Borough Homes – the authority’s housing company – agreed a 2.5 to 3 per cent pay rise last February.

But UNISON added the “spiralling” rise in inflation meant employers nationally have agreed a £1,925 rise across local government.

READ MORE: Colchester Council waste collection workers could strike

UNISON told the Gazette: “Council chiefs in Colchester reluctantly offered to implement the national rise, but only backdate it to September, leaving staff hundreds of pounds out of pocket.

“Pay already lags behind other councils in the area, with bin lorry drivers in Chelmsford on around £2,500 more than their colleagues in Colchester, a gulf that’s set to widen when Chelmsford staff get their full backdated £1,925 pay rise.”

A report which went before the council’s cabinet on Wednesday revealed leader David King took an “urgent” decision to agree to the union’s demands.

The report said: “Since the pay award was agreed, the economic outlook has changed, and the National Joint Council (NJC) offered a higher pay increase than the council’s pay award.

“UNISON regional branch submitted a claim for the council to apply the NJC pay award of £1,925.

“Despite on-going negotiations between both sides, agreement could not be reached.

“UNISON balloted their members on strike action.

“To settle the pay dispute and to avoid disruption to core services, the proposal is to apply the £1,925 increase at an additional cost of £700k.”

Sam Older, UNISON’s eastern regional organiser, welcomed the payout, adding: “Colchester Council staff had weathered years of pay deals that ate away at the value of their wages.

“A 2.5 per cent pay offer and the spiralling cost of living last year meant they had had enough and they were forced to ballot on strike action.

“Fortunately, Colchester Council appreciated the strength of feeling of staff and agreed to start talking again, eventually offering staff the full £1,925 rise won by other local government workers across England and Wales.

“This will be backdated to April 2022 and land in this month’s pay packet.”

Colchester Council's resources boss Mark Cory (Image: N/A)

Speaking at Thursday's cabinet meeting, Colchester Council’s resources boss Mark Cory said the agreement “ensures we have an organisation that pays well and will deliver well”.

He added: “We had budgeted for a lower amount, that’s the agreement we originally struck, but we have been able to meet this pay requirement and we believe it’s fair.

“We have done that by taking decisions elsewhere, that will reduce the revenue cost in the future.

“We also always have some reserves for a rainy day that can cover any in-year costs.

“But we are confident we can cover this, we have already allocated in the budget now.

“ It will have an impact going forward, that is why we have had to take decisions elsewhere, we may do less, we may have less staff, but those staff will be paid well.”

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