A CALL for a £3,000 pay rise for council workers has been backed by Torfaen Borough Council.
However it doesn’t commit the council to pay increases as rates for local government workers are agreed nationally and councillors supported the demands for an increase from trade unions Unison, GMB and Unite on behalf of council and school workers.
They want workers to receive an increase of £3,000 or 10 per cent, whichever is the greater.
Labour councillor for Pontypool Fawr Caroline Price asked the full council to agree the motion, which also committed the council to writing to the chancellor and secretary of state to call for the increase to be funded with “new money from central government”.
The motion said research shows if the government fully funded the pay claim, around half of the money would be recouped through increased tax revenue, reduced spending on benefits and tax credits, and increased consumer spending in the local economy.
It will also call on the Local Government Association to make “urgent representations to central government” to fund the pay claim and the council also agreed it should “encourage all local government workers to join a union”.
The motion was backed by the Labour controlled council, without debate, though Llantarnam independent member Alan Slade abstained while Labour leader Anthony Hunt declared an interest as he is a member of the UK Local Government Association negotiating body on pay.
Croesyceiliog councillor and cabinet member Joanna Gauden, and her husband the Labour member for Llanfrechfa and Ponthir Karl Gauden, also declared an interest as they both work part time for Unison.
