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Suffolk County Branch |
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UNISON Your Friend at Work |
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Suffolk County Branch |
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UNISON Your Friend at Work |
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Members in the Probation Service have been balloted over taking Industrial Action on the question of non payment of Annual Increments. The result of the consultative ballot indicated an overwhelming support by members in Suffolk.
These results have been forwarded to Unison Headquarters and our view is in line with national results which show a 94% vote in favour of action. Negotiations will continue on the 12 June.
National officer Ben Priestley warned: "Unless there is some movement from the employers, we will be forced to consider a timetable for moving to a formal industrial action ballot.
"We will also be taking this message to probation minister David Hanson at a meeting on 25 June."
UNISON members work in key probation services, including hostels, unpaid work, offender management and a wide range of administrative and managerial functions.
"They look after and manage many of the most dangerous offenders released into our communities," noted Mr Priestley. "This difficult and sometimes dangerous work deserves to be properly rewarded."
Members in Local Government are being balloted over the employers 2.45% pay offer.
The National Committee who negotiates the pay offer wants you to vote in favour of Industrial Action for the following reasons:
The pay claim is well below the inflation rate and as we all know price rises continue on items such as food and fuel indicates that further inflation rises is expected.
The employers want to have a multi year deal and there is no indication that they will have any opportunity to revisit the offers should inflation run out of control. (this is what has happened in Scotland where staff have been offered 2.5% each year for the next three years with no opportunity to re-open negotiations).
The employers want to renegotiate conditions of service such as sick leave and sick pay.
The ballot papers should have been received by now. The closing date for the ballot is the 20th June. If you have not received a ballot paper you should Call 0845 355 0845, textphone 0800 0 967 968, from 6am to midnight Monday to Friday and 9pm to 4pm on Saturday.
The most important thing, however, is that you should vote.
The employers have indicated to us that the proposed Competency Framework has been scrapped.
UNISON welcomes this change of position by the employers as we have been concerned about how the proposed competencies would be measured corporately.
The County Council has agreed to a UNISON request for a Corporate Business Support Review.
Unison requested a corporate review as the piecemeal approach to business support may have left members at risk.
We await details of the scope and timescale for the review.
Members are being balloted on whether or not they accept a revised collective agreement on conditions of service.
The main changes to the 2006 collective agreement are around the number of hours you can work in a day, payments for bank holidays when worked and the five on - five off rotas.
Your UNISON negotiators recommend acceptance of the new agreement which has been under consideration for several months.
The ballot papers should be distributed early next week with a closing date of the 23 June. If you have not received the ballot papers by the 13 June please let the office know.
The Suffolk County Branch of UNISON recently consulted members on their views on Local Government Review. The results of that consultation exercise are as follows:
A single Suffolk = 55%
An Ipswich unitary and a rest of Suffolk unitary = 6%
An East Suffolk unitary and a West Suffolk unitary = 17%
An all or part of Great Yarmouth/all or part of Waveney unitary and a rest of Suffolk unitary = 2%
An Ipswich unitary, on all or part of Great Yarmouth/all or part of Waveney unitary and a rest of Suffolk unitary = 2%
An Ipswich unitary, an East Suffolk unitary and a west Suffolk unitary = 13%
An Ipswich unitary, an all or a part of Great Yarmouth/all part of Waveney unitary, an East Suffolk unitary and a West Suffolk unitary = 5%
The Branch will use this information as a guide to future negotiations. We will contact you again when the decisions on which options are going forward for public consultation.
Unison members working in local government in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been given the green light for a ballot on industrial action after rejecting the pay offer from employers.
The offer is for a 2.45% increase on all grades from scale point 7, with an additional
100 pounds flat rate increase on scale points 4, 5 and 6, giving workers on those points a 3.3% rise.
Employers also want agreement that the National Joint Council, the negotiating body, will seek to conclude a review of 'Green Book' terms and conditions, started as part of the 2007-8 settlement, by the end of this year, and 'seek to' agree pay rises of 2009-10 and 2010-11 by 31 December also.
The offer is below the current inflation rate of 4.2% and less that the increase in average earnings across the economy.
If members vote Yes to industrial action, that is likely to start with a two-day all-out strike in early July, and be followed by a sustained campaign of escalating action, involving strikes of more than two days.
Asking members to vote for action, the union is making it clear that the employers' offer is final, and "solid and sustained" industrial action will be needed to convince the employers to reopen negotiations.
Unison's local government NJC committee is seeking authorisation for an industrial action ballot after members said No to the employers' offer of a 2.45% pay rise.
That request, which was endorsed by the local government service group executive, will now be considered by the union's industrial action committee, which is responsible for authorising all industrial action undertaken by the union.
The move comes after a lengthy consultation of members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland saw a rejection of the 2.45% offer.
Any industrial action ballot will be on the basis that a sustained strike action campaign will be needed to move the employers, starting with a two-day all-out strike and moving on to escalating all-out action for longer than two days.
Members in Scotland were consulted on a proposed multi-year deal of 2.5% in each of the next three years. The joint unions are discussing the outcome of their consultations and a decision on the way forward will be made at a local government conference next week.
Schools minister Jim Knight confirmed that a new national negotiating body for school support staff will be in place by September when he spoke at a UNISON schools seminar in London today.
It will provide national guidelines for pay and conditions.
UNISON head of education Christina McAnea said it was a crucial step towards fair pay for this group of workers - made up of teaching assistants, nursery staff, administrators, secretaries, policy officers, technicians, cleaners, caretakers and school meals workers.
Their efforts had been undervalued for too long, she said, adding: "UNISON has campaigned long and hard for a fair system to recognise the very positive contribution made by schools support staff."
Ms McAnea pointed out that the government's plans for extended children's services will depend on schools support staff.
"To make this work, we need fair and equal pay and a robust training and career structure to apply in all schools.
"The setting up of a national negotiating body for schools staff is a crucial step in this direction."
Approved Mileage Allowance Payment (AMAP) rates, which employers may pay to employees for their work related vehicle journey expenses, are set out in the HM Revenue and Customs Expenses and Benefits Guide . Their use is tied to the circumstance where an employee uses their own car on a business journey.
The rates cater for a wide range of car drivers and are designed to take into account all relevant factors. The rates are set at 40p per mile for the first 10,000 miles, and 25p per mile after that. It is not correct that the rates have remained same for over a decade, as the rates set out above were brought in effect from 2002-03.
AMAP rates, as with all other aspects of the tax system, are subject to review and potential changes as part of the Chancellor's annual Budget process. However, Budget 2008 announced that the rates will be maintained at current levels, as detailed above.
The Government therefore considers that the rate of 40p per mile still strikes an appropriate balance between covering the running costs of a variety of cars, and delivering its environmental policy.
It should be remembered that where a passenger is also carried as part of the same business journey, that the car's owner is additionally entitled to passenger payment at a rate of 5p per mile.
It remains for employers to choose the actual amount that they wish to reimburse employees for vehicle expenses incurred while on work related journeys. Any amount over the AMAP rate will be subject to tax and National Insurance Contributions. Tax relief may be claimed on the difference when an employer chooses to reimburse less than the AMAP rate.
The Branch is looking for the authority to increase the mileage rate for those who take passengers by 5p per mile.