INDUSTRIAL action by local Government and school support workers which was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 14, has been suspended.

Three major trade unions, Unison, GMB and Unite, which represent more than 1.5 million workers in the public sector, have decided to suspend the planned strike action over pay.

The unions will now consult their members on new proposals put forward by the Local Government Association as the best achievable by negotiation.

Proposals put forward would cover the period from April 1 2014 until March 31 2016.

All three unions said they want to strengthen the collective bargaining machinery covering local government and schools and move quickly to jointly tackle important issues facing their members with the Local Government Association.

Brian Strutton, GMB national secretary for public services, said: “It has proved extremely difficult to persuade the local Government employers to agree new pay proposals for us to consult our members on.

“But now we have an agreed set of new proposals which we will consult on and while doing that GMB is suspending the strike planned for October 14.”

Mr Strutton said more details about the consultation between the unions and the Local Government Association will soon be issued.