17/10/2014

Council Pay Decision Welcome

GMB welcomed the decision by Merthyr Council not to go ahead with unilateral imposition of up to 3% pay cut for council workers.

Gareth Morgans, Regional Organiser, said: "A demonstration outside the Civic Centre prior to a Council meeting led to the Council, at the very last minute, pulling a report which would have given executive powers to the Chief Executive Officer for him to issue a Section 188 notice to enforce a cut of up to 3% in the pay of Council workers.

"In a meeting which lasted only minutes, the Leader of the Council read a statement to advise members that the Report to Council was not proceeding.

If Merthyr had gone ahead with this, it would have been the starting pistol to a race to the bottom in cutting terms and conditions outside of the NJC Agreement.

"By forcing this U-turn, we have preserved the integrity of the National Joint Council Agreement on terms and conditions. The fear was always if one Council goes down this road successfully, then others will follow.

"Members can now look to approaching Christmas without the fear of termination and re-engagement on lesser terms and conditions hanging over them."

(CD/JP)

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