Staff News - September 2023

Update on SJC Pay negotiations taking place at national level

At the Chief Executive’s introductory staff online meeting on 12 September 2023, in response to a staff query on when the SJC pay award effective from 1 April 2023 will be paid, a commitment was made to keep staff informed to the SJC Pay negotiations taking place at a national level.

A revised offer was issued to the three trade unions – UNISON, GMB and Unite on 13 September. A press release issued by COSLA is shown below along with a factsheet providing details of the revised pay offer. It should be noted that UNISON are due to call out their members employed in Early Years and schools to take strike action in Highland Council on 26 September, 27 September and 28 September 2023.

If you are a member of one of these unions and wish more information from your trade union, you should contact them direct.

COSLA Press Release:

STRONG OFFER MADE EVEN STRONGER

 

Commenting on a revised offer which was sent to the Trade Unions today (Wednesday) COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann said: “The reality of the situation is that as employers, Council Leaders have now made a strong offer even stronger.

 “Council Leaders have listened to the workforce and then acted on what they heard by adding additional Council funds to get us to the position today where a revised offer can be made.

 “We have also secured additional baseline funding from Scottish Government of £94 million, which will be built into the Scottish Government’s funding for Councils from next year, that ensures the viability and sustainability of this offer.

“This is an extremely strong offer which not only compares well to other sectors but recognises the cost-of-living pressures on our workforce and which would mean the lowest paid would see a 21% increase in their pay over a two-year period.

“Councils value their workforce and this offer will support those workers during a cost of living crisis, whilst also protecting vital jobs and services. We hope that our Trade Union colleagues will give their membership the chance to consider this strong offer.”

 

COSLA Factsheet

Your Pay:  The Facts

COSLA’s Revised September 2023 Pay Offer

 

An offer that gives at least a £1,929 increase in annual salary by 1 January 2024. In detail that’s:

From 1st of April 2023:

  • For every Council Worker: an increase in the hourly rate of £0.65 or a 5% uplift in their pay, whichever is worth more.

From 1st of January 2024

Every Council Worker will receive (in addition to above) either:

  • another increase so that their total pay has gone up £1.00 per hour since 31st March 2023;
  • Or, a percentage increase depending on the point they’re at on the salary scale. An additional 2.5% up to and including national SCP43 (top point HC05), an additional 1.5% from SCP44 to SCP64 (HC06-second point HC08), an additional 1% on SCP 65 (third point HC08) and above.

For example, if you are on an hourly wage of £10.85[1] now it will go up to £11.50 from 1/4/23 and £11.85 from 1/1/24. That’s a 9.22% increase in your pay. If you are full-time on a 37-hour week that means your salary would go from £20,933 to £22,860.

If you earn between £25,560[2] and £28,510, your pay will increase by 7.63% by January 2024.

If you earn between £28,860 and £38,030, your pay increases by 6.58%

If you earn £38,586 or more your pay increases by 6.05%

 

Investing in the Workforce

 

  • The pay offer currently on the table will cost Councils just under half a billion pounds.
  • The offer aims to protect our essential front-line workers – who make up most of our workforce (85%). 
  • The offer will mean our lowest paid Local Government workers have had a 21% increase in their pay over a two-year period to April 2024.
  • This offer is a better deal than the equivalent in England.
  • Councils are facing hard times but have still agreed to invest in our workforce. This offer allows them to properly reward workers without risking vital jobs and services.

We have secured funding from Scottish Government of £94 million, which will be built into the Scottish Government’s funding for Councils and baselined from 24/25 to help protect jobs and services.

 

[1] This is the Scottish Local Government Living Wage – our first pay point.

[2] Full-time salary based on a 37-hour week.

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