Trade unions have rejected a 2% pay increase for council staff and called on employers to ‘come up with a better offer’.
Unison, GMB and Unite have called for a 10% pay increase so all council staff would earn at least £10 an hour.
Unite national officer, Ian Woodland, said: ‘The local government pay offer is deeply disappointing - it does not begin to address the aspirations of our members.
‘Following a decade of austerity, during which their pay in real terms has been slashed, local government members will not accept an offer which makes them poorer in real terms.
‘Local government unions are now seeking a fresh meeting to allow employers to table a dramatically improved offer.’
The unions called on chancellor Sajid Javid to use next month’s Budget to fund the pay rise.
Head of local government at Unison, Jon Richards, said: ‘The chancellor must give councils the cash in the Budget to fund a proper pay rise. Otherwise experienced staff will be lost as they seek better paid work elsewhere and there’ll be barely anyone left to deliver local services.’