LOCAL GOV PAY DEADLOCK BROKEN

Local government staff working in England, Wales and Northern Ireland had been offered just 0.5%, but this has been increased to 1.25% from scale points 4-10 and 1% from scale points 11 to 49.

The offer also includes 1 extra days leave from April 1 2009, and a commitment to a joint redundancy avoidance agreement to be in place by December 1 2009. The union's national committee for local government will meet next week to start consulting on the offer.

UNISON's Head of Local Government, Heather Wakefield, said: "We are pleased that the local government employers have come forward with an improved pay offer. While we believe that our members are worth more, we are pleased that the employers have realised that 0.5% was an insult. It is also vital that we have an agreement in place to protect jobs in the sector. This will help keep services running through the recession - when families and communities need them most. UNISON's national committee and the NJC trade union side will meet next week to start the consultation on the offer."