Labour party bosses make 'final' pay offer in bid to prevent strike action by staff
3 min read
Labour bosses have tabled another "final" pay offer to party staff in a last-ditch bid to prevent them going in strike.
The move, which follows talks with the Unite and GMB unions, would see all employees below director level get a 2.2% pay rise.
An online ballot of party workers will now take place to see if the majority want to accept it - with the likelihood of industrial action if they reject it.
In a document outlining the offer, bosses say: "Please note that this is an improved and final offer. If we receive a positive result by 9 July we will pay the increase in the July payroll and the backdated pay in the August payroll."
The new offer is the fourth to be brought forward by the party, and comes despite management last month insisting they would not be submitting any further proposals.
The trade unions told their members the latest attempt to break the impasse followed a "positive meeting with management".
"This is the best offer the reps believe can be negotiated short of taking industrial action," they said. "If the majority of our members rejected this offer, the unions will take that as an indication of their wish to proceed to a ballot on whether to take industrial action."
If a strike was to take place, it could even place Labour's annual conference, which is due to be held in Brighton in September, at risk.
It is also understood that as well as the pay dispute, staff have also raised concerns about the management style of some of those around Jeremy Corbyn.
One member of staff told PoliticsHome: "The new deal, despite them saying there wouldn’t be a new deal, is 2.2% on pay, an increase to fixed sum allowance and an increase to the car allowance.
"It’s really moved away from the pay deal. Everyone is tired of bad contracts, not being paid enough in general and the treatment from management
"No one wants to do this to the Labour party and effectively stop conference but both sides can goad each other into it happening. Even if they offered the RPI rate of inflation, I don’t think this action could be stopped."
A Labour spokesperson told The Guardian: “Labour is in negotiations with our staff on a pay offer and we are awaiting feedback from our recognised unions on the improved and final proposal we have made.
“It is entirely false to suggest that the staff intend to ballot their members on anything other than pay. Labour operates an open, union-agreed process to allow staff to raise grievances, including against management."
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