Council and school workers have faced years of low pay while workloads continue to rise.

 In April 2026, UNISON’s NJC Committee rejected the Employers’ pay offer of a 3.3% increase.   The decision was made to proceed with an industrial action ballot running from 9 July to 6 August in England and Cymru.

UNISON is calling for a substantial pay award for 2026: At least £3,000 or 10%, and a £15 minimum hourly rate.

This pay rise is essential—to help staff manage rising living costs and to ensure employers can retain the skilled workers our communities rely on.

Industrial Action Ballot: 9 July – 6 August 2026

UNISON is urging members to VOTE YES for the pay you need and deserve.

We will ballot members in strategically targeted employers and will update everyone as soon as details are confirmed.  We will notify all members in due course on who is being balloted.  Even if you’re not being balloted, you can still play a vital role in the campaign.

How You Can Support the Campaign

• Email your MP: unison.org.uk/email-mp2026

• Contact your councillor: unison.org.uk/email-cllr

• Encourage colleagues to join UNISON: join.unison.org.uk

• Share the campaign on social media

• Keep your details up to date: unison.org.uk/my-unison

Learn more at: unison.org.uk/our-campaigns/council-school-pay

Webinar: The fight for fair pay in local government is on

A launch webinar has been organised for Monday 8 June at 4pm, featuring General Secretary Andrea Egan, and chaired by Sean Fox, the Chair of the NJC Committee. 

The joining link and further details are here: 

https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/ceefbfb3-62d2-4169-a62e-fedd060d6543@d7c21edf-d541-49a4-9f5a-7737832d42c7       

This webinar will cover:

• Why we need a pay rise that meets the needs of council and school workers.

• What every activist and member needs to do as we escalate the campaign before the ballot for strike action launches.

We would encourage you to attend this meeting if you can.