Majority of public services unions vote to accept deal with government

The dispute over local government pay in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has ended with UNISON accepting the employers' final offer of 3.4% on the lowest pay rate (scale point 4) - giving a new bottom rate of £6 per hour with 2.475% on all other pay rates. A ballot on strike action in protest at the offer had produced a small majority in favour of action but with a low turnout the union's national joint council recommended acceptance of the deal but early talks with other unions about securing a higher pay deal in 2008. Local government workers in Scotland are covered by a separate

Following a key court ruling and further clarification from the Labour Relations Commission (LRC), the executive of the IMPACT public service union has decided that it will recommend that it members accept the public service agreement proposed by the government. The court ruled that important parts of an existing agreement covering performance management, outsourcing guarantees, premium pay rates and other issues would continue to be valid. The LRC also confirmed that unions would be fully consulted over the implementation of redeployment and restructuring under the public service agreement