IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SINGLE STATUS AGREEMENT

You will be aware that on the 14th november 2007 the Councils Cabinet meeting approved their prefered new pay and grading structure.
These proposals now open further negotiations with UNISON.

The Councils intention is to implement the agreement from march 1st 2008, backdated to January 1st 2008.
UNISON has not yet agreed an implementation date.
UNISON has serious concerns that the proposed pay model still fails to deliver equal pay for work of equal value (the main reason for the introduction of the Single Status agreement).

Whilst recognising the cost of the current proposals exceed the Councils intial spending limits, the proposed pay model still includes 21% red circle posts (these are the posts that will be down-graded as a result of the job evaluation process).

This figure will reduce to 10% during the three year protection agreement that UNISON offficers have so far negotiated. This is because potential annual pay increases will close the gap between the new pay-scale and the protected scale.
This means no money will be taken out of salary/wages for at least the first three years of the agreement.
However UNISON offciers believe the figure of 21% (red circles) will not be acceptable to UNISON members and we oppose the current proposals on that basis.
The on-going negotiations will focus on the proposed pay model and looking at alternatives that would result in a reduction in red circle jobs.
In the meantime the Council intends to write to you at your home address before the end of November confirming what the current proposals mean to you as an individual employee , including your proposed new grade.
Approximately 50% of posts will gain and 29% will remain the same.

APPEALS Once the agreement has been accepted (or possibly imposed if agreement is not reached!) Individuals that can show that their post has not been evaluated properly will be able to appeal against their evaluation score. UNISON will be able to help in this process.
However to repeat the score you will recieve in November is not neccessarily the final negotiated one , so you will not need to appeal at that point.

COMPENSATORY BACK-PAY
The Council has now recognised, in principle, that almost 2000 employees are entitled to Compensatory back-pay for past inequalities in their salaries.
This back-pay , which iis upto 6 years, is in the main owed to catering, Cleaning and care workers. UNISON are still negotiating the specific amounts due but are hopeful that at least part of the money owed (10%) will be paid prior to the Christmas break.
if you believe you may have an equal pay claim but are unsure, contact the UNISON office for advice.

UNISON understands that it is the COuncils intention to hold "COT 3" signing days for those employees they beleive are entitled to Compensatort back-pay.
Beware seek UNISON advice before you sign anything.

MONTHLY PAY Consultation on the move from weekly to monthly pay is on-going, no agreement has been reached.

SINGLE STATUS UPDATE

Since mid-October Branch officers with the support of our regional office have been in consultation with the City Council, on the creation of a new acceptable pay model.
You will be aware that the evaluation score of your post will be placed on a grade in the new pay model.
UNISON is concerned that the information shared with us shows that under the current proposals there are an unacceptable number of red circles (losers).
Work is continuing on the pay modelling and will continue following the November 14th Cabinet meeting that is to chose its favoured pay model.
The work that UNISON officers have been involved in has already resulted in reducing the number of red circles by over 660.
Branch Officers are negotiating hard in an effort to achieve the best deal possible for all our members .
However , UNISON believe further work on the pay model could result in still more reductions in the red circles without compromising the validity of the evaluation results or the equality of the scheme.

It is in the intention of Senior Council Officers to present to cabinet on 14th November their preferred pay model, if approved , this will trigger further consultation with UNISON.
At the same time the Employer will dispatch to employees home addresses information on what the proposals mean to you as individuals.

UNISON intend balloting all members.

However, the exact timing of the ballot is still to be decided, but will not be until Branch Officers feel agreement has been reached or consultation has come to and end without agreement.
UNISON would not recommend the current proposals on the basis of the high number of losers!

UNISON has been pushing for protection for red circled posts. At the present time the employer is offering 3 years protection at 100%, this offer while being similar to other regional and national agreements will still leave some employees in positions of unacceptable pay cuts!.

It is the Councils intention to implement the agreement in march 2008. UNISON wishes to see a pay structure introduced that brings an end to pay discrimination based on inequality.
We also wish to see all green circle (gainers under the evaluation process) enjoy their increases and compensatory backpay (where appropriate ) as soon as possible.
But the overall package must recognise the potential serious consequences from a large number of losers.

APPEALS An appeal has been agreed for employees unhappy with the results of the evaluation of their post, evidence will be required to show that the evaluation is wrong. This process will be available at the time of implementation of the Pay Model.

UNISON is aware of the borough wide Single Status briefings that are taking place.
UNISON has not agreed an implementation date for the Single Status agreement.
UNISON has not agreed a date when to ballot our members.
we will ballot our members when we are ready , not when our employer thinks we should

This is the first 'blog' direct from the union office and is an attempt to bring upto the minute information to branch members.
with issues such as single status gathering pace and departmental briefings giving (at times) misleading information direct contact with as many members as possible is vital.