A 3.2 per cent pay rise for school support staff has been 鈥渞eluctantly鈥� agreed between national employers and two of the three sector unions. Pay for support staff, carers and council staff is negotiated between local authorities, referred to as the 鈥渘ational employers鈥�, and unions Unite, GMB and Unison. But Unite has not accepted the deal and has said it will support workplaces or groups of members to ballot for action. Now councils and other employers have been informed the pay rise has been accepted by the GMB and Unison. Unite has been approached for its position. It comes after the GMB called the offer a 鈥渄isgrace鈥� in June, as it was lower than the 4 per cent salary rise secured for teachers in May. ‘Reluctantly agreed’ A spokesperson for the national employers said: 鈥淲e are pleased agreement has been reached on this year鈥檚 pay award so that employees can receive their well-deserved pay increase.鈥� Kevin Brandstatter, GMB national officer, said the national employers 鈥渞efused to meet and negotiate and were adamant there was no extra money. 鈥淕MB reluctantly agreed to settle to avoid delays which could have meant sanctions on members reliant on universal credit.鈥� Mike Short from Unison said that “although a 3.2 per cent rise for this year is not to be sniffed at, workers will be disappointed”. “Far more will be required in future to ensure local government salaries don’t fall further behind other parts of the economy”, he continued, “otherwise, the recruitment crisis in local authorities in schools will worsen”. A Unite spokesperson said: 鈥淚t is clear that Unite members remain deeply unhappy about the level of pay in local government. Our members have born the brunt of more than a decade of stagnating wages and savage cuts to council budgets.聽 鈥淲e will continue to back any workplace that wants to improve its terms and conditions and fight for fair pay across local government.鈥澛� The deal will be implemented despite Unite not accepting the offer. ‘Fair to employees’ , according to the 2024 pay scales. This compares to a starting salary last year of 拢31,650 for teachers on the lowest pay band, which will rise to just under 拢33,000 in 2025-26. A 3.2 per cent increase was lower than the predicted growth in wages across the wider economy, which had been revised to 3.7 per cent by the Office for Budget Responsibility this year. But chair of the national employers James Lewis said in April they were 鈥渁cutely aware of the additional pressure the offer would place on finances鈥� but believed the offer 鈥渋s fair to employees鈥�. ‘A disgrace’ GMB and Unite members previously voted against the 3.2 per cent offer, with a majority of 84 per cent and 77 per cent respectively. Unison called for an increase of at least 拢3,000 across all pay points, along with a 鈥渃lear plan to reach a minimum pay rate of 拢15 an hour. Both unions said workers had faced a 鈥渞eal-terms pay cut鈥�. 鈥淥ffering teachers 4 per cent and badly paid school support staff and other council workers just 3.2 per cent is a disgrace,鈥� Brandstatter said. 鈥淭he LGA has shown complete and utter contempt for hard working public servants doing their best to deliver services despite insufficient staff or resources.鈥� Schools Week has approached Unite for comment.