Vote Yes for strike action

1. Vote Yes for strike action

2. The unions’ 2014-15 pay claim • A minimum increase of £1 an hour on scale point 5 to achieve: • the Living Wage and…. • The same flat rate increase on all other scale points • The Living Wage outside London has risen to £7.65 an hour. • We would now need an increase of £1.20 an hour to reach the Living Wage on scale point 5

3. . The employers’ final offer • 1% for pay points 11- 49 (90% of workforce) • Lowest pay points 5-10 have been offered over 1% to avoid falling below the National Minimum Wage • New Hourly Rate • £580 on pay point 5 £6.75 • £550 on pay point 6 £6.82 • £400 on pay point 7 £6.90 • £275 on pay point 8 £7.05 • £200 on pay point 9 £7.22 • £175 on pay point 10 £7.35

4. It’s time to stand up for fair pay • The employers’ offer is another pay cut – not a pay rise. It follows a 3-year pay freeze and a below-inflation pay increase of 1% last year. You deserve better. Before you vote remember that: • Inflation is running at 2.5% • Fuel, travel, food and childcare costs keep rising • Average earnings are increasing by 2.6% • Falling pay means a loss of pension for the rest of your life • It’s time to stop the rot...before it gets any worse!

5. It’s time to vote “YES” for strike action • Don’t accept a pay cut for the fifth year in a row! The employers want to offer the lowest paid as little as possible – with next to nothing for everyone else • Pay for most school and council workers will be worth 20% less than in 2010 – enough is enough! • The landslide in your pay will continue unless we act together now • Voting ‘no’ will NOT save jobs and services

6. Our claim is affordable • Councils are choosing to stash the savings made by cutting jobs and pay • In the last two years they have put an extra £2 billion in reserves, taking the total to over £19 billion • The £2.6 billion the employers saved on basic pay in 2012 alone would pay for a 10% pay increase! • And over half the cost of our claim would be re-couped in taxes and national insurance • In the last three years, half of council savings have come from cuts to pay, conditions and jobs • Our members are keeping schools and local services going, but bearing the brunt of the cuts and being taken for granted.

7. Vote “YES” for strike action! • 71% of UNISON members rejected the employers’ offer in our own pay consultation • The industrial action ballot has been given the ‘go-ahead’ • YOU are worth much more than this pay offer – and so are those who rely on you • 600,000 UNISON members in local government and schools • Unite is also balloting for strike action – GMB pay consultation ends in mid-May.

8. Ballot timetable • Ballot opens on 23 May • Ballot papers will be sent to members’ home addresses • We need every member to vote - and vote “YES” • The first strike day will be 10 July • The employers’ offer will not be increased without real pressure on them – especially before the local elections • UNISON is asking you to vote “YES” • If the employers don’t improve their offer, further strike action will follow

9. We can do it…together in UNISON! • Tell your workmates about the pay offer – make sure they vote!! • Recruit non-members - we’re stronger together • Lobby your councillors and make them listen! If they want your vote in the local elections on 22 May, they need to support a decent pay offer for you • Your branch can help you lobby them. There are model letters on UNISON’s web site too

10. Ballot papers • If you have not received a ballot paper by 29 May, ask for one on line at unison.org.uk/my-unison/welcome or call 0800 0 857 857 by 12 noon on 18 June • Wherever you work, whatever job you do – make sure you vote and vote “YES” for strike action to get an improved pay offer