News
Welcome to the GMB’s newsroom. This section of the GMB Midland and East Coast web site is your link to the latest news generated by the trade union and its members.
This page contains headlines linked to the latest full stories. We also provide access to newsletters and bulletins published by the union and its affiliates.
NORTHANTS COUNTY COUNCIL
Northants_CC_members_update_re_Pay_Benefits_August_2010.doc
LEICESTER CITY COUNCIL SINGLE STATUS/JOB EVALUATION UPDATE
As members will know the GMB were hoping to be able to ballot all Leicester City Council members during August on the single status proposal. Unfortunately because we still have many members whose jobs have not been through an evaluation panel yet and/or have not been verified we have been unable to do so.
I am sure that members will understand that until we can be sure that every single GMB member is clear on what the proposals mean to them we cannot ask you to vote.
We were assured back in April that all jobs would have been evaluated by June and it therefore seemed sensible to aim for August as a time to ballot (even with allowances for delays).
I have today written to your employer in a bid to get some clarity on their current position and as soon as I receive a response to this and can better understand when we might be in a position to ballot I will of course let you know.
SIAN MCCLARENCE
ORGANISER
31 AUGUST 2010
NOTTINGHAM CITY COUNCIL - SINGLE STATUS AND FINAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
As you will be aware we have been conducting a ballot over the last two to three weeks reference single status and the Council’s final position on terms and conditions of employment. As a consequence of that ballot I would firstly like to thank everybody who took part in it because it gave us a clear indication of our members feelings, albeit there have been some interesting comments on some of the ballot papers returned. Over 60% of the ballot papers issued were returned and there was a 91% acceptance of the terms and conditions that were finally put into place. Bearing this in mind, on behalf of the GMB Trade Union’s members, we formally accept the new terms and conditions of employment which will be implemented on 1st November 2010. It is my understanding that Unite the Union and the other Union Unison will also be signing off this part of the agreement. As a consequence of this, these terms and conditions will be implemented on the 1st November 2010. Assuring you of our best intentions in all of these matters and I will keep you appraised of any further developments which I feel need to be brought to your attention.
Finally, I would suggest that if anyone does have an appeal that is going to the appeals committee, that in the first instance they seek support from their local shop steward, senior representative or myself and we will endeavour to support everyone individually over these matters.
Kind Regards.
Chris Needham / Gary Chambers
Organiser / Nottingham No 5 Branch Secretary
LEICESTER CITY COUNCIL - SINGLE STATUS UP-DATE
website_letter_to_members_at_LCC_-_re_Single_Status2.doc
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL - PAY AND BENEFITS
TO: ALL GMB MEMBERS EMPLOYED BY NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
Dear Colleague
On 5th July 2010 you will have received an individual letter from your employer, Northamptonshire County Council (NCC), along with a pack entitled “Pay and Benefits, Fair Pay for All”. The reason that you have received the above communication directly from NCC is because of the failure to reach a collective agreement on the Pay and Benefits Package between NCC and the recognised trade unions.
The purpose of this letter to you as a GMB member is not to reiterate why or how the National Single Status agreement came into being as I think the background as to why Pay and Benefits needed to be implemented as a result of Single Status is adequately explained on page 6 of the NCC pack. Rather, this letter outlines GMB views on the negotiation process and the reasons why we were unable to reach a collective agreement with NCC. I intend to do this by outlining the timescale of events and then making some direct comments about information contained in the NCC pack. I will then suggest some possibilities with regards to a response and advice for GMB members faced with the individual NCC proposals.
In February 2009 after two years of intensive negotiations NCC put what they describe as a “Best and Final Offer” (BAFO) to the recognised trade unions GMB and Unison. It is important to say at this point that although the content of what was in the BAFO was agreed there were clearly contentious issues in the offer that would make acceptance very difficult. The next 9 months involved both unions seeking advice from their respective legal departments on the numerous complex questions that always arise out of such a wide ranging review of pay and conditions in a local authority. Meanwhile, progress on other issues that would form part of any final package such as the Moderation of Job Evaluation scores and the working of the Appeals procedure was maintained. In the event this work did not get completed until April 2010.
In December 2009 NCC asked the unions to clarify their response to the BAFO and what position the unions would take in balloting their members. This is because to implement the Pay and Benefits package across all its workforce NCC has an obligation to try to reach a collective agreement with the recognised trade unions.
In January 2010 both GMB and Unison met with NCC to give their responses. GMB made it clear to NCC that they hoped to ballot their members but because of issues with the offer would not be recommending it for acceptance. In simple terms there were 4 main areas that GMB had problems with.
1. The implementation date should have been in line with the National Single Status Agreement which was for 1st April 2007. GMB believed the local agreement should have been backdated to this date. NCC said this was not possible due to the prohibitive cost.
2. GMB would not accept pay progression through increments that were linked to performance. NCC said they reserved the right to implement this at a later stage.
3. GMB stated that Nursery Nurses should be left on their nationally derived 32.5 hour contracts. NCC said they would harmonise to 37 hours so in effect this group would lose money. GMB reiterated this did not need to happen.
4. GMB said that overall there were far too many people (28% on basic pay and 42% on total earnings) who would lose as a result of this package. NCC said they had already put money into the lower grades and could not move on the pay structure as this would increase costs.
On this basis GMB reiterated its position that it would not recommend the package to its members.
I do not think it appropriate for the GMB to comment on Unison’s position however it was becoming clear that by April 2010 Unison felt that they were unable to ballot their numbers.
In May 2010 NCC asked for a final position from both unions on the package as it stood at that moment.
In June 2010 GMB made it clear to NCC that they would ballot their members but not with a positive recommendation for acceptance. Unison reported that they were unwilling to ballot their members.
At a meeting on 17th June 2010 NCC reported that as it had become clear they were not going to reach a collective agreement with both trade unions they were going to remove the BAFO off the negotiating table and move to impose a reduced package directly on an individual basis. Both unions expressed their dismay at this development. NCC stated their intention to write to each individual employee which brings us up to date on this matter.
On behalf of GMB I would like to make a number of observations contained in the booklet itself. In the Chief Executive’s letter on page 4 he states that “the majority of this package was agreed with local trade unions”. This is misleading as I believe the content
of the package was agreed, this is not the same as agreeing to the package itself. Mr Blantern appears to be implying that the unions had already agreed this on behalf of members’ which has never been the case. As far as GMB is concerned agreement can only ever be reached by a members’ ballot. Mr Blantern was also well aware that there were a number of issues as I have already outlined which meant that a positive recommendation from GMB would be all but impossible.
On Page 7 NCC outline their changes to the original BAFO. What is now being proposed on pay protection, premium rates for weekend working and performance related pay progression is significantly different to what was put forward to the trade unions. As I have stated before both unions have expressed their anger and disappointment that NCC has chosen to pursue this particular course of action. In our view a reduction of the original package is totally unjustified and unacceptable.
So what happens next?
After failing to reach a collective agreement NCC has outlined that they wish to seek individual agreement with employees on the revised package. My advice on this matter depends on how you are affected. Obviously if you are better off under the proposals then you may want to accept them, which is entirely your choice. If you do not wish to accept them then NCC will enter into consultation on the matter which may end up with, as they describe on page 17, “dismissal and re-engagement”. The GMB will provide further guidance on this possibility in due course.
I should of course point out that if collectively union members wish to oppose this imposition then industrial action is always a possibility depending on the wishes of the members.
If you disagree with your grading then you have the right of appeal and the appeals process is outlined at page 11 of the booklet. Please note that you have 28 days to appeal from receipt of your letter from the Council.
In conclusion I would state that the GMB are extremely unhappy that we now find ourselves and our members in this difficult position. We had wanted to ballot our members on the original offer, it has to be said without a positive recommendation, but this option was removed from us due to forces beyond our control. The fact that NCC has now chosen to seek individual agreement on a reduced package is regrettable but we can only deal with the reality of this situation as it stands now.
GMB will continue to try to represent its members’ best interests through the coming weeks and months although I do not underestimate the difficult situation that many people now face.
Finally, I believe that there is one outstanding issue which needs to be addressed for those staff on term time contracts in schools. GMB believes there may be a problem with how the amount of bank holidays and pay has been calculated in the past. NCC had as part of the BAFO made proposals on how these calculations would be done in the future but made no admission of liability for what has happened in the past. GMB wish to explore legally whether any claim can be pursued on this particular matter but to proceed with this course of action we would need individual members to come forward so that we can gather the information required. If you are on a term time contract and you think this may affect you and you would like the GMB to explore this matter on your behalf would you complete the attached pro forma and return it to this office completing as much information as you can. We will then inform members how best to proceed from there.
I realise that many of you will be concerned by these events but I thank you for your continued support through this difficult situation.
Yours sincerely
David Shamma
DAVID SHAMMA
ORGANISER
Enc: pro forma
NCC_pro_forma_re_Pay_Benefits_July_2010.doc
GMB@WORK / UNITE TRADE UNIONS - NEWSLETTER - SINGLE STATUS UP-DATE
Nottingham City Council Weekly to Monthly Pay
Monthly pay will be introduced in November 2010 to all weekly paid staff.
Budgeting workshops will be available to all weekly paid staff or their partners.
GMB Learner Reps will be in attendance at all workshops to offer help and advice to members and none union members.
GMB and UNITE Unions have managed to negotiate an 18 month advance of pay to cover the shortfall in wages when moving over from weekly to monthly pay.
Our Learner Reps will be available to offer help and advice to all our members on an individual or group basis.
Gary Chambers Thelsa Jackson
Nottingham No5 Branch Secretary Nottingham City Branch Secretary
NOTTINGHAM CITY COUNCIL SINGLE STATUS - UPDATE 3
GMB NEWS LETTER
Dear Colleagues
NOTTINGHAM CITY COUNCIL SINGLE STATUS - UPDATE 3
Please be advised that at the request of the GMB Trade Union and Unite the Union meetings were held last week over a 3 day period to try and resolve the issue over the terms and conditions of the single status agreement. As a consequence these talks have not been as productive as we would have liked them to be, but we have high hopes that we can reach a conclusion that will be acceptable to the majority of our members. Bearing in mind that management took the opportunity to implement some of the changes that they were proposing, the negotiating teams on behalf of the Union’s made it quite clear that National terms and conditions of employment under the green and red books respectively will not be changed locally. To this end we still pursue the Authority and would hope that they will see common sense and the validity of our argument.
Meetings have been arranged for later in the week and as a result of various aspects over the changes that have been proposed we have had to consider what is best for all of our members, bearing in mind that the travel plan, sick pay and 24/7 working are all of great concern. All other terms and conditions that the Authority indicated they wish to consider changing we will make the assurance that the negotiating committee will endeavour to get the best results for our members and we would ask that you bear with us. If you have any concerns please try and speak to your local representative in the first instance, but if this is not possible or they are unsure themselves please feel free to contact Chris Needham, Organiser either by email at or at the GMB Regional Office on 0115 9607171. Please note though that we are taking on average 100 calls per day at the Regional Office on single status and some of these calls are being passed to Gary Chambers, Dave Green and Thelsa Jackson to ensure that everyone receives a response.
We also implemented a series of meetings in schools and local departments where we have GMB members to try and assure them that the way forward is not just being left in the hands of management to impose. We hope that we will be in a position over the next two weeks to come to a conclusion in this matter and therefore will be able to put the full picture to our members. Bearing in mind that you are being requested to sign agreements by the 14th May we have asked for another extension to this as we have only just seen sight of the new three compromise agreements today 11th May which the Authority propose to use. As a consequence we don’t believe that the 14th May is a realistic position to be in and the Authority have intimated that if anyone has any queries or appeals that they may have an extension potentially to the 28th May. We are requesting a meeting later this week to ask that this be extended to all employees within the Authority giving all the trade unions the opportunity to give the best advice wherever it is sought.
Assuring you of our best intentions.
Chris Needham, Regional Organiser on behalf of the GMB Trade Union along with Gary Chambers, Nottingham No5 Branch Secretary and Thelsa Jackson Nottingham City Branch Secretary.
12 may 2010
NOTTINGHAM CITY COUNCIL URGENT NOTICE
Please be aware that the GMB Trade Union has negotiated an extension to the deadline for signing the letters from 5th May to 14th May, and during this period of time we will continue to negotiate with management to try and secure your terms and conditions of employment. We will keep you updated on our progress by posting the latest information on our website at http://www.gmbmidandec.org.uk
CHRIS NEEDHAM
29 04 10
NOTTINGHAM CITY COUNCIL SINGLE STATUS NEWSLETTER - 28 APRIL 2010
SINGLE STATUS NEWSLETTER
As you are aware Nottingham City Council are seeking to impose new contracts to implement single status. Unfortunately, whilst both GMB and Unite members voted ‘yes’ to the proposals put forward by the Council, Unison took the decision not to ballot its members on the proposals. The Council is not therefore able to introduce the new terms and conditions by collective agreement as would have been its strong preference. The City Council has therefore gone for an individual consultation which has lead to the GMB having to look at all the issues for all our members for groups and on a one to one basis. This task cannot be done within the time scales that Nottingham City have imposed upon the trade unions, we therefore ask our members who have equal pay claims to wait for the packs coming from Thompsons, but you need to be aware that if you sign these opt outs for the compromise agreements and the letters you will be debarring yourself from the equal pay claims. As a consequence you will need to seek clarification on this matter from the GMB / Thompsons Solicitors.
Members who have concluded equal pay claims and have had settlements need to be aware that the offer to themselves will be the difference between what the equal pay claim was, compensation and their current offers.
If you stay the same although you gain nothing from this particular deal there is an offer of £100 to tempt you to sign away your terms and conditions of employment, CHANGES WHICH HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN EXPLAINED TO YOU. These terms are the subject of continued negotiation between ourselves and the council and whilst the Council have committed to continued negotiation before implementation we cannot guarantee to you that all the contractual changes the Council had attempted to impose on you will be withdrawn as a result of the continued discussions.
If your pay is going down then you are being asked to sign these compromise agreements and indicate by the 5th May 2010 that you accept the proposals so that you will get your 3 years pay protection. Again this issue is not straight forward, you need to understand that a failure to sign could leave you in a position where the Authority wouldn’t pay you your 3 years protection. But if you sign then you are agreeing to the other changes which as a Union we cannot recommend to you – we know it’s a difficult position for you and you may feel your are being bullied into signing. The GMB are committed along with the other trade unions to fight to preserve the terms and conditions of its members and to that end we will continue to negotiate on your behalf. However, if you feel aggrieved or wish to discuss this further please contact your branch secretary, Gary Chambers on 0115 9152146, or Thelsa Jackson on 07908967864 or myself Chris Needham on 0115 9607171.
Finally, people whose pay is to go up, you need to understand that to access this money you would have to sign the agreement. But you would be agreeing to the contractual changes already identified to you. You could also be depriving yourself of the right to pursue other cases.
As things stand the only winners appear to be Nottingham City Council itself.
I hope this clarifies the situation with all members. If as a GMB member you are aware of a non member please ask them to consider joining the GMB trade union, as it is only through strength of numbers that we can continue to fight the Council and ensure that the council doesn’t alter your terms and conditions of employment for the worse.
CHRIS NEEDHAM
GMB ORGANISER
0115 9607171
HEALTH & SAFETY - NOTTINGHAM CITY COUNCIL - NOTTINGHAM NO 5 BRANCH
As a Union we are committed to serve our members to the best of our ability. We will continually strive to get the best results possible for each and every one of you.
At this moment in time our Health & Safety Representatives are in the process of carrying out inspections at various sites. If you notice anything that you think requires attention please don’t hesitate to inform your Health and Safety Representative. Thank you for your co-operation in this matter – working together we can achieve many things.
Remember the “S” code – Be sure, Be safe, Not sorry.
Ray Beekman, Senior Health & Safety Rep
For Nott’m No 5 Branch
April 2010
Unite GMB Joint Statement
Compromise/COT3: Members who have signed an equal pay agreement and had been told there would be no compensation until the new provisions, will be pleased to know that the Labour run council have conceded that this will now be paid.
The Council have also agreed that any compensation payment will be paid as a lump sum, in November 2010.
As a result of our discussions it has also been agreed that there will be full consultation and negotiations on all other newly proposed changes these will only be implemented after agreement.
For those members who are former employee’s both Unions (Unite and GMB) and the Council are seeking further legal advice and those members affected will be contacted separately.
On this basis the two Unions (Unite and GMB) see no reason why we should support the Unison protest rally which we were not consulted about.
We will seek to continue to represent our members’ interests through consultation and negotiation and will report further as matters develop.
If members have further concerns over the Council’s position please contact your local Unite or GMB representative and if you know anyone who is not a member of a union please encourage them to join.
Officers: Mark Young, Regional Co-ordinator, Unite
Chris Needham, Organiser, GMB
Contact Local Reps: Carol Star, Unite - 07940 713760
Gary Chambers, GMB - 0115 915 2146
GMB Office - 0115 960 7171
Unite Office - 01332 548400
NOTTINGHAM CITY COUNCIL - SINGLE STATUS UP-DATE
What they are telling you is:
1.They intend to re moderate jobs, which at best could result in any “incentive payment” being drastically reduced or vanishing.
2.They do not intend to impose until November yet wants you to sign away all your rights in April / May with no assurances of what the “incentive payment” will be.
3.They propose to reduce sick pay entitlement from 6 months full pay and 6 months half pay by 50% giving you 3 months full and 3 months half. The other substantial change could be 24/7 shift working which when combined with the other change, which is, split shift allowance being removed, so that employees may be expected to work hours at any time the Council sees fit.
By voluntary signing the agreement to change your contract you will be agreeing to these changes. The GMB urge people at this moment in time not to sign these compromise agreements until you have had full advice from the GMB.
Every individual’s case is different and as a consequence we cannot give block advice on whether it would be right or wrong to sign away these rights. We understand the concern you will have that if you are someone, for example, who was to receive pay protection, that if you don’t agree to the new terms that pay protection may be lost but we are strongly urging the Council to reconsider their position to impose a deadline of the 5th May 2010 for you to indicate your agreement to the changes. We are urging the Council to get back around the table and consult with the Trade Unions in a meaningful manner.
We would urge you at this moment in time not to sign any of these agreements without speaking to your local union representative.
CHRIS NEEDHAM
REGIONAL ORGANISER
0115 9607171
19 APRIL 2010
LOCAL GOVERNMENT PENSION SCHEME 10 KEY FACTS
09222_LGPS_Key_Facts_GMB_JAN2010.doc
NHS PENSION SCHEME UPDATE ON DELIVERY OF THE PENSIONS CHOICE EXERCISE
NHS_Pensions_-_GMB_NEWS_-_Update_on_Delivery_Dec_20091.doc
NOTTINGHAM CITY COUNCIL JOB EVALUATION & SINGLE STATUS - GMB BALLOT RESULTS
We can now announce that the votes have been counted and GMB members have voted to accept the changes - 84% accept, 16% reject. As you will be aware we are still awaiting the results of the Unison vote. If you have any queries please call Tim Clements, Regional Organiser, on 0115 9607171.
£30 MILLION CUT IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL WILL CAUSE CHAOS SAYS GMB
£30 MILLION CUT IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL WILL CAUSE CHAOS SAYS GMB
GMB will not sit and watch whilst essential services that benefit thousands of people in need are wiped out leaving the public to suffer the dire consequences
Following the letter from Mick Burrows, Chief Executive regarding Nottinghamshire County Council’s intention to reduce terms and conditions, the Conservative Leader of the County Council, Kay Cutts has now shown her hand with the announcement of £30 million worth of cuts incorporated in the budget proposals.
Tyehimba Nosakhere, GMB Regional Organiser said “GMB members have been staggered and appalled by the savage attack on their terms and conditions followed by the proposed budget cuts. Not only has the Council reneged on their agreement to discuss and examine alternatives with the trade unions, they have also failed to embark on proper and meaningful consultation prior to making the shocking announcement to the workforce.
The proposed savings by cutting terms and conditions is £2.9 million and yet the trade unions cannot see how these savings will actually be made by destroying entitlements that have taken years to establish through negotiation and were part and parcel of single status. The cuts will affect annual leave entitlement, totally remove essential care user allowance, remove subsistence payments and also incorporate the downgrade of the current redundancy package. In addition to this the Council has announced it will close the County Contact Offices and many loyal and committed workers will either lose significant parts of their terms and conditions or their jobs. The Council claims that these cuts and reductions are necessary to redirect expenditure into safeguarding for children and vulnerable adults. However, the proposed cuts appear more likely to create further problems for front line staff who are already under resourced and under valued. Social Work Teams that are already under staffed and overworked will now lose the crucial support that they receive from members of the public who access the walk-in facilities at the County Contact units. When these units close there will be nowhere for often vulnerable and less able citizens to go.
The GMB is totally opposed to the hasty hacking away of these terms and conditions and although we understand that there are budget constraints, we do not feel that enough has been done to explore other efficiency savings as an alternative.
The County Council appears hell bent on creating disharmony, distress and disillusionment for honest, hardworking Council workers across the board and the blatant disrespect that they have shown to the trade unions clearly demonstrates that they have nothing but contempt for our attempts to establish some sense of order in dealing with this sensitive matter. If anything they appear to be throwing down the gauntlet as if to taunt the trade unions into walking away from the negotiating table so that they can use this to make political capital by casting us in a negative light.
Our members in County Contact and Welfare Rights have already been given their marching orders and the plug has been pulled on essential direct services to the public.
The GMB has maintained its presence at the internal joint committees and as much as we are prepared to fight to retain what we can for our members via negotiation, this has to be done in a manner that befits negotiation rather than dictation.
The Council has said that it intends to make a £2.9 million saving on terms and conditions regardless of efficiency savings and that it will give no guarantee that they will not cut more terms and conditions in the coming years. On that basis we can not continue to sit at the table and suffer insult rather than engage in negotiation. GMB has therefore balloted its members in respect of these issues and has made it clear that at some point GMB members will have to consider whether they are prepared to accept the Council’s intended cuts without challenge or if they will resist if necessary with industrial action where appropriate.
GMB will not leave its members to suffer the indignity of their jobs being lost or devalued without a fight. The GMB will not sit and watch whilst essential services that benefit thousands of people in need are wiped out leaving the public to suffer the dire consequences.
GMB’s campaign to make the public aware of the devastating affect of these cuts will incorporate a petition against the proposals and will seek to gain as much public support as possible. The fight goes on.
£500 OR 2.5% - UNIONS SUBMIT CLAIM FOR 2010
Equal pay in the NHS and Local Government
GMB announces its new Equal Pay unit to handle claims
The unit will be run by professional lawyers to asses cases and, where strong enough, pursue those that cannot be resolved through negotiations.
What is an equal pay claim?
Speaking generally, if you have been paid less than someone of the opposite sex doing the same or a similar job or one of equal value then you may have a claim. A claim arises under the Equal Pay Act and is lodged with an Employment Tribunal after registering a grievance. The Equal Pay Unit will do all this.
What do I have to do?
If you think you might have a claim simply fill in the appropriate attached form (Local Authority or NHS) and send it to the address shown on it. We will let you know if your case has merit and if so the Equal Pay Unit will send you a detailed questionnaire for a thorough evaluation.
Are there time limits?
Yes, and the simple rule of thumb is to register your potential claim using the form as soon as possible. It is the individual’s responsibility to urgently submit a grievance and a claim to tribunal so contact the GMB for help immediately.
The GMB wants ALL members who might have an equal pay claim to complete the registration form. We will then try to negotiate collective settlements but if we can’t we will have prepared the ground to use litigation. Through the new Equal Pay Unit the GMB can ensure that no stone is left unturned in the campaign to win pay equality for all.
Download the relevant questionnaire below and return them to us to help in our campaign