COUNCIL workers are angry that their employers' increased pay offer by 0.25 per cent, to 1.75 per cent, is still significantly below the rate of inflation.

School support staff, carer workers, refuse workers, cleaners, librarians, highways maintenance workers and many more in Wales, have been waiting for a pay rise, due on 1 April.

Public services union, UNISON Cymru Wales, has labelled the pay offer "a real terms pay cut."

It says years of pay freezes and pay caps have left local government staff more than 20 per cent poorer than in 2010.

The rates of pay and employment conditions of council workers in Wales are negotiated at a UK national level.

UNISON says council employers have told the union they "don’t have the money to give their workforce the pay rise they deserve or to invest in rebuilding vital public services".

The union wants the employers’ body, the Welsh Local Government Association, to join trades unions to campaign for additional funds from the UK government to finance the wage rise.

Lianne Dallimore, chair of UNISON Cymru Wales local government committee, said: “A below inflation pay offer is no good to workers who are 20 per cent poorer than a decade ago as a direct result of UK government severe spending cuts.

“Local government staff have kept vital services like adult social care, school hubs and refuse collection going throughout the pandemic. We deserve more.

“Welsh council employers told us they want to recognise our contribution but don’t have the money, well, work with us to secure extra cash from Westminster which can be invested in staff and front-line services.”

National secretary of the GMB trade union Rehana Azam said: “School staff, refuse collectors and council workers have kept our country moving through the coronavirus crisis, often putting themselves in harm’s way.

“Now they are being told by local government employers all they deserve is a pay cut. It’s a woeful pay offer.

“Local government employers refused to jointly make representation with the unions to the chancellor on pay, which is frankly disgraceful.

“Local government workers know they need a proper pay rise – and this isn’t it. GMB will now meet with reps to discuss next steps for a ballot on the offer and if this leads to industrial action, members will have our full support.”