Since Kent County Council sits outside the remit of the National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Government Services, GMB and other unions need to ballot our members about a pay deal specific to Kent County Council workers each year.  We therefore need you to tell us whether you wish to accept the pay deal that has been tabled by management.  If a majority of members do not accept the deal, we would look at pursuing an industrial action ballot, to ascertain whether members would be prepared to take action to try to win an improved offer.

The pay deal consists of the following:

1. A pay increase of 2% is recommended (subject on final budget allocation, savings, government funding allocation) for this forthcoming year and applied consistently to all staff, except for those on KR17 and above.

2. The grade KR3 should increase to £9.55 per hour from April 2021 (pending final decisions on all pay awards). The bottom of KR4 would continue to preserve a 0.5% gap

3. Take forward the agreed reviews and agreed continuing work from 2019/20 pay bargaining, as identified in the attached document.

You can read the full offer document from the council at https://www.gmb-southern.org.uk/kent-council-pay-claim-response-2021-22

GMB's stance is that although we believe a pay increase during the pandemic should be higher, we are also aware that the Chancellor has announced a public sector pay freeze for local government workers who have their pay determined nationally.  We also believe that roles in the KR3 grade should be paid a minimum of £10 an hour, and alongside the other unions wish to campaign for nobody to paid any lower than that.  However we believe that you as members should decide whether the offer is accepted or not.

Please note that if you work in an Academy, most will follow KCC's guidance, although others will now set their own pay and this ballot will only be advisory for them.  Local discussions will take place with many academies following this ballot, and we will keep in touch with you if you work in affected schools.

We would also like to remind you that some schools moved their pay award date to September and that this rise will not come into force until then if that is the case.

Please take the time to respond to the questions below.  You only need to complete the form once, so if you have already been directed here from a text message or email, and get directed here from a second communication, you only get one vote and any subsequent vote will not be counted.

We want you to be able to contact us about this, but are aware that members need to keep their ballots private.  If you wish to contact us about this ballot, if you are interested in becoming a local contact in your workplace to facilitate the pay ballot, or would like more information about becoming a workplace rep, visit our separate page at https://www.gmb-southern.org.uk/kent-county-council-contact-form and fill in your details!