UNIONS have written to local government bosses “firmly rejecting” a 3.3 per cent pay offer and calling for urgent “meaningful negotiations” unless they want strikes.

Unison, Unite and GMB, which represent trade unions on the National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Government Services, were responding to a “final offer” by employers made on April 1.

A joint letter signed by the union’s secretaries — Unison’s Mike Short, Unite’s Clare Keogh and Kevin Brandstatter of GMB — said: “All three unions firmly reject this pay offer.

“Our members remain dismayed and angered at the offer, which fails to make up ground on the loss of the real value of their pay over the last 16 years and is far below what they need and deserve.

“We believe that the most recent financial settlement offers scope for a better offer.

“Moreover, we wish to reiterate our disappointment at the National Employers’ continual refusal to engage in meaningful pay negotiations.

“Given our unions’ rejection of the offer, we urge you to engage in meaningful negotiations on the 2026/27 pay award as a matter of urgency.”

The unions had earlier proposed an increase of at least £3,000 or 10 per cent, whichever is greater, before the counter offer by the Local Government Association (LGA) was made.

But the LGA said its 3.3 per cent offer represented the absolute limit of what local councils could afford, citing ongoing financial pressures and the rising cost of the National Living Wage.

Unison head of local government Mike Short told the Morning Star: “The offer falls far short of what council and school workers need and deserve.

“For years, staff have had a major decline in the real value of their pay.

“If there’s no improvement from employers, Unison will ballot more than 200,000 workers this summer asking them to back strike action.

“But ministers have a role to play, too. They must take local government pay seriously, ensuring councils and schools are properly funded.”

The LGA, which acts as the national employer and negotiates the pay and conditions for roughly 1.4 million local authority employees across England and Wales, was contacted for comment.