Fórsa and the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) will resume talks at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) on 16th September, to further engage on the implementation of a job evaluation scheme in the local authority sector. 

Both parties agreed to reconvene following a constructive conciliation on Tuesday 25th June, where both Fórsa and the LGMA agreed to begin the process of progressing the scoping exercise on options for a job evaluation arrangement in local authorities, commencing with researching existing schemes. 

Close to 10,000 jobs were lost from the sector following the financial crisis in 2008, and services were only maintained because local authority workers countrywide took on additional responsibilities above their pay grades. 

Following successful industrial action and intensive engagement in the WRC, Fórsa and the LGMA had agreed to pause negotiations to establish a job evaluation scheme for the sector last September, pending the national pay talks.

The Public Service Agreement 2024-2026, which came into effect earlier this year, made provisions for re-engagement to progress this matter further, and last month, Fórsa wrote to the WRC triggering this clause.

Fórsa’s Head of Local Government and Local Services and Municipal Employees’ Divisions Richy Carrothers welcomed the recent developments, describing them as “positive” and “a step in the right direction.”

“Local authority workers up and down the country have been carrying additional duties for years, but without any recognition for the extra work. We welcome the progress to date and look forward to engaging with the LGMA in a collaborative way in advance of September as per the commitments given to the WRC by both sides to scope out options,” he said. 

A recent union survey of local government workers found that 80% of respondents would apply for a job evaluation scheme if one was made available. 40% of respondents indicated that they are actively seeking an alternative job, with 46% of those stating the lack of career progression as the reason.

“Job evaluation is available to workers in every local authority in Britain and across the 11 councils in the North; it is good for workers and employers. Our members are still dealing with the fallout from austerity well over a decade later. What is currently in place is neither fair nor sustainable. Our members want and deserve job evaluation and the LGMA can be in no doubt of our commitment to deliver this,” said Richy.