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Council and school workers in GMB vote to strike GMB council and school workers vote to join strike day
(35 minutes later)
Council and school workers in the GMB have voted by three to one to strike on 10 July over pay, the union has said. Members of the GMB union will join a day of action that could see more than one million workers on strike in total.
Staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland were balloted on the pay offer, which is worth 1% for most people. The GMB said council and school workers voted by three to one to walk out on 10 July over a pay offer worth 1% to most.
The date is significant because it has been earmarked as a general day of protest over government policy on cutting public sector costs and jobs.The date is significant because it has been earmarked as a general day of protest over government policy on cutting public sector costs and jobs.
Members of public service union Unison have already voted to strike over pay on the same day.Members of public service union Unison have already voted to strike over pay on the same day.
The government is now facing a walkout by more than a million public sector workers next month, including council staff, teachers and civil servants.The government is now facing a walkout by more than a million public sector workers next month, including council staff, teachers and civil servants.
GMB national officer Brian Strutton said its members had "spoken loud and clear". GMB national officer Brian Strutton said its members - in England, Wales and Northern Ireland - had "spoken loud and clear".
'Ignored and undervalued''Ignored and undervalued'
"We have tried sensible discussions, we've sought to negotiate reasonably, we've said we are willing to accept Acas arbitration rather than go on strike - but to everything we've tried, the employers have said no. So we have no choice," he said."We have tried sensible discussions, we've sought to negotiate reasonably, we've said we are willing to accept Acas arbitration rather than go on strike - but to everything we've tried, the employers have said no. So we have no choice," he said.
"GMB members serving school meals, cleaning streets, emptying bins, looking after the elderly, helping children in classrooms and in all the other vital roles serving our communities are fed-up with being ignored and undervalued.""GMB members serving school meals, cleaning streets, emptying bins, looking after the elderly, helping children in classrooms and in all the other vital roles serving our communities are fed-up with being ignored and undervalued."
He added: "Their pay has gone up only 1% since 2010 and in October even the national minimum wage will overtake local authority pay scales.He added: "Their pay has gone up only 1% since 2010 and in October even the national minimum wage will overtake local authority pay scales.
"Their case is reasonable, the employers won't listen and don't care. No wonder they have turned to strike action as the only way of making their voices heard."Their case is reasonable, the employers won't listen and don't care. No wonder they have turned to strike action as the only way of making their voices heard.
"With other unions involved too, 10 July looks like being the second biggest dispute ever, with up to two million workers on strike.""With other unions involved too, 10 July looks like being the second biggest dispute ever, with up to two million workers on strike."