EXCL Embarrassment for Labour bosses as staff unanimously reject latest pay offer
2 min read
Labour bosses are facing the prospect of a staff walkout after they rejected their latest pay offer.
In a major embarrassment for party officials, staff - including those working in Jeremy Corbyn's office - voted unanimously to turn down the proposed rise.
Bosses now have until 3 May to return with an improved offer, with the prospect of staff taking industrial action on the table if they do not.
Last month, workers at Labour HQ backed the GMB and Unite unions' joint-recommendation that they reject a flat £600-per-person offer.
In an email to the union negotiators last week, party bosses said they were now offering £750 each or an extra 1.8% for all those below director level - and warned it would not be improved.
The email added: "We believe this is a fair offer and we are unable to improve it further. I would therefore ask that you put the proposals to your members and ask them to vote for the offer they prefer so we may implement whatever the majority chooses in a timely manner."
But at a staff meeting on Tuesday afternoon, the unions accused the party of trying to "divide and conquer" and urged their members to reject the offer.
The rejection of the pay offer is particularly embarrassing for Jeremy Corbyn, whose close political ally Len McCluskey is general secretary of Unite.
A Unite spokesperson said: "Pay negotiations are ongoing and we have nothing further to add at this stage."
A Labour spokesperson said: "The party considers pay negotiations to be confidential and ongoing. Staff are hugely valued."
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