NJC Pay Claim 2024/2025

Pay Update: NJC Offer Accepted

Last month, we consulted with members working in councils and schools across England, Cymru and Northern Ireland regarding the employers’ pay offer of 3.2%.

Although the majority of members who responded voted to reject the offer, the overall turnout was not high enough to meet the thresholds required for legal industrial action under restrictive trade union laws introduced by the previous government.

We understand members want to avoid a lengthy dispute and are keen to see their pay rise implemented swiftly. With this in mind, UNISON’s committee of leading activists, together with the other NJC trade unions, has agreed to accept the 3.2% pay offer—backdated to 1 April.

We’re now working with employers to ensure the increase is paid without delay. At the same time, we’re kicking off preparations for an early pay claim for 2026 and starting the much-needed review of the NJC pay spine.

Please be aware that the Pay Ballot in now open.

UNISON Pay Calculator - https://unisonpaycalculator.co.uk/

Find out how the offer stacks up against our claim using the unison pay calculator. 

*If you work part time or term time only hours, the increase would be less depending on how many hours you work. The offer will be different for members in London; in outer London, the offer is £1,491 and in inner London it’s £1,575. 

NJC pay 2024: employer offer

We have received a pay offer from the NJC Employers’ Side. The offer letter is attached, and the key points are:

• Full and final offer

• £1290 on all pay points from 1st April

• That’s equivalent to 5.77% on point 2 and 2.5% on point 43

• 2.5% on all pay points above 43 and below chief officer level

• 2.5% on all NJC allowances

• Rejection of our demands for a shorter working week, extra day of leave, £15 an hour minimum rate by 2026

• Offer of pay gap data discussions

• Re-committed to reviewing the pay spine

Emps-to-NJC-TUs-pay-offer-16May24.pdf (unison.org.uk) 

NJC Pay Claim 2024/2025

Despite providing some of the most vital services in our communities, council and school staff have seen 25% wiped from the value of their pay since 2010. Staff are continuing to struggle with the cost-of-living crisis and will find better-paid, less-stressful work elsewhere if their pay continues to lose its value.

As part of the 2024 pay claim, we are asking for all council employees to receive a wage increase of £3,000 or 10%, whichever is the greater. This is the only way to maintain the staff levels necessary to deliver services to the public, looking after the most vulnerable, giving children the education they need and keeping neighbourhoods safe.

You can read the full pay claim by clicking the button below:

NJC-Pay-Claim-2024-25.pdf (unison.org.uk)