Further to our article dated 23 March 2026, there have been a number of developments in the 2026/27 NJC pay negotiations.
On 24 March 2026, the National Employers made a full and final offer of 3.3% on all NJC pay points and allowances, backdated to 1 April 2026.
All three recognised trade unions (UNISON, GMB and Unite) have since rejected the offer.
UNISON has announced that it will conduct targeted strike ballots in selected councils, schools and other NJC employers during July.
GMB has confirmed that its members voted to reject the offer and that the union will determine its next steps during June.
Unite has also rejected the offer and is expected to announce its next steps shortly.
At the time of writing, no national agreement has been reached and the 2026/27 pay award has therefore not yet been finalised.
We will continue to monitor developments and provide further updates as soon as more information becomes available.