Sourhampton City Council pay cut reversed

The pay cut imposed on local government staff by the then Conservative-controlled Southampton City Council is thankfully to be reversed.

Labour regained political control in May, and, after two months of negotiation, the council has agreed with two council unions UNISON and Unite to begin the process of reversing the pay cuts. The proposal is being put to ballots of the unions’ membership with recommendations to accept.

Under the proposal those earning up to £22,000 a year will see their pay restored by November this year, while those earning between £22,000 and £35,000 a year will have to wait until April 2014 to see their pay fully restored.

From April 2014 those earning between £35,000 and £65,000 a year will get a 1.82% restoration of their pay. Those receiving over £65,000 a year will get no restoration until “staff-identified efficiency savings raise sufficient income”.

Southampton is the only one of a small number of councils which imposed pay cuts that is reversing them. The two unions mounted a prolonged and concerted campaign to achieve this result.

UNISON branch secretary Mick Tucker said the deal proved that the cuts were unnecessary.

“It was the Conservatives who caused the dispute, their removal from power has meant that a fair and reasonable settlement is now possible,” he said.