LG Pay – Update

Friday 2 September

Folks,

Following another mammoth set of negotiations which lasted into the early hours of this morning, this time directly with the First Minister, we have secured an improved pay offer for our members. The revised offer is attached for your information.

Your Local Government Committee met today to consider this offer and have agreed:
• We will consult members on this revised offer (and suspend the current consultation on the previous offer)
• All current and planned industrial action will be suspended whilst that consultation is underway
• We will recommend acceptance of this offer to members in that consultation

The key details of the improved offer are:
• An increase of £2000 for those earning up to £20,500
• An increase of £1925 for those earning between £20,500 to £39,000
• A 5% increase for those earning between £39,000 to £60,000
• A maximum increase of £3k for those earning above £60,000
• The removal of SSSC fees where application (social care registration fees)
• 1 extra days annual leave
• All increases based on a 36hr week calculator (apart from those over 60k who will have 37hr calculator)

This equates to a total paybill uplift of 7.5% with 87% of Local Government workers receiving fully consolidated uplifts from the date of implementation of between 5-10%.

We will send further details on the arrangements for the new consultative ballot as soon as possible.

SJC Letter of Offer

FAO Scottish Joint Council Trade Union Side Joint Secretaries

2 September 2022

Dear Johanna, Wendy and Keir,

Scottish Joint Council Pay Negotiations 2022/23 – Employers’ Side Pay Offer

Following our discussions this week, I would firstly like to thank you again for the helpful
and constructive manner in which these were held. It has been a series of lengthy
meetings under intense pressure, and your patience has been very much appreciated.

We have noted the comments about a 5% offer value and hope that you will consider the
following offer which we believe to be the best that we can make within the financial
window mandated by Leaders. We do this with the full intention of seeking to reach a fair,
sustainable and reasonable conclusion as soon as possible.

• For those on the Scottish Local Government Living Wage and SCP 19-24 an
undifferentiated 5% or a £2,000 uplift (calculated on a nominal 36-hour full-time
working week), whichever is larger.

• This is a 10.2% increase for the lowest paid and for someone on SCP38 (£24,984) this
is 7.7% increase (£1925) and for someone currently on SCP 52 (£30,212) this is
6.37% (£1925).

• The offer is for an undifferentiated 5% or a £1,925 uplift (calculated on a nominal 36-
hour full-time working week), whichever is larger, capped for those currently earning
£60,000 or more at a £3000 uplift (based on a 37-hour week).

• Following our discussions this week we recognise and see it as vitally important to
ensure that our lowest paid, as union colleagues have reminded us, are protected as
far as we can from the cost of living crisis and not only does the consolidated cost of
living uplift ‘floor’ of £2000/£1925, raising the minimum hourly rate in the SJC
workforce to £10.85, seek to address this, it will ensure that 87% of the workforce
receive no less than £1,925.

• In recognition of other elements of your claim we add the following additional elements:

o The removal of SSSC fees for all roles and grades where applicable

o One additional day of annual leave for all employees

o For this financial year the uplift of all nationally agreed allowances will be in line
with the percentage offer without detriment to any separate uplift mechanisms
and those allowances that are agreed locally. Therefore, the Distant Islands
allowance in this year only will be uprated with effect from 1 October 2022 by
the offer percentage rate or the normal agreed formula, whichever is the
highest. In future years we will revert to the agreed formula and any anomalous
increase will be rectified. In this pay agreement only, we will uplift the First Aid
Allowance.

o A full review of the SJC constitution to be presented at the 2022 AGM for
agreement.

In recognising the other factors of the pay claim, we reaffirm our commitment to working at
pace and in full partnership to conclude discussions on professional fees and the working
week and to continue to support our workforce in the transition to hybrid working.

In making this offer I would ask again that you suspend all current and intended strike
action to allow for full consideration of the offer by your members.

Yours sincerely

Simon Cameron

Employers’ Side Joint Secretary