It is intended that any such structure would operate outside the National Joint Council (NJC) framework which currently governs pay and conditions for local government employees.

Alan Johnson said: "I am extremely grateful to the Support Staff Working Group for their report and I look forward to hearing back from them on the possibility of setting up a new negotiating body to look at how we can better align pay and conditions of employment for support staff throughout the country."

May 24, 2007