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.
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