Unite is a leading public sector trade union. We represent people working in all areas of local government, both directly employed and also those outsourced to wholly owned of fully private contractors.
From street cleansing, waste management, recycling, school support, housing estates and maintenance, libraries, leisure, museums, police, criminal justice, social care and children’s services, crematoriums and parks, ICT and administration, our members provide key essential services from the cradle to the grave.
Unite is proud to be a union fighting for better, jobs, pay and conditions in councils, schools and police forces.
Local Government Pay
Speak up: Raise your voice for fair pay
Green book
The national employers made an offer of 3.3% without meaningful negotiations. Unite’s NISC voted to reject the offer outright. We are now finalising our plans for targeted strike ballots over the summer. Please read the joint unions pay claim for 2026/27 here and the joint unions' rejection letter here. Or scroll to downloads below.
Check back for regular updates. For more information, read the Unite press release here.
Red book
Unite members rejected the 2025 pay offer of 3.2% but the national employers have still failed to resolve this dispute and meet with Unite to negotiate an offer that protects the national agreement.
Strikes are on at six, targeted councils: Babergh & Midsuffolk, Bristol, Leeds, Newham, Southwark and Stoke-on-Trent on 7, 18, 23 and 24 June.
Unite Red Book craft workers - June 2026 update
Building Labourer Grade SCP 2 to SCP 3 1 April 2026 | "As set out in our letter of 22 April, of the 32 councils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that we understand employ Craftworkers on JNC ‘Red Book’ conditions, only nine of them apply the JNC-specific rates of pay. Our data shows those nine councils combined employ around just 270 Craft employees, a tiny number of whom will be paid on the Building Labourer Grade. The point you raise about avoiding a concertina effect of grades is one with which councils are well aware and adept at dealing with. The most effective resolution is to include Craftworkers in local pay and grading job evaluation exercises (using the model Craft role profiles). Therefore, the National Employers will continue to urge those nine councils to apply job evaluation to their Craft roles." - National Employers
