Unions attack pay freeze for council staff

Unions have reacted with fury after being told that 1.6 million council workers face a pay freeze this year.

Leaders of local authority unions in England, Wales and Northern Ireland tabled a claim for an increase of 2.5 per cent for workers ranging from librarians to refuse collectors.

But officials were told by employers yesterday that pay was set to be frozen this year.

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Union leaders called on council employers to think again, warning that workers would struggle to afford basic essentials unless their pay is increased.

Heather Wakefield, of Unison, said: "The decision to cut our members' pay without negotiation is a slap in the face for hard-working council employees who have kept communities together through the financial crisis."

Leaders of the three trade unions involved said they would hold urgent talks to consider their next move.

The employers said workers would not be offered an increase in pay from April to protect vital front-line services and help minimise the need for job losses.

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The decision was taken after "extensive consultation" with councils in recognition of the "extremely tight" financial situation they faced. Councils were facing falling revenues at a time when they had to keep council taxes low to help hard-pressed families through the recession.