Responding to rumours that the suspension of the City Council’s Director of Resources is connected to the Job Evaluation process conducted by the Council, David Jowett, Assistant Branch Secretary at UNISON said:
“Quite frankly we would not be surprised if this is the reason. UNISON has on a number of occasions raised issues regarding the lack of transparency of the whole process. Getting the relevant information from the Council has, on many occasions, been extremely difficult and still we are meeting members who have absolutely no idea how their new grades have been arrived at.
We have held a series of very well attended meetings with members to help them with their appeals and the more and more we see of the results given to staff, the more and more we are realising that there seems to be a huge element of inconsistency in approach.”
Andy Freeman, UNISON Regional Organiser said:
“It would seem to us that the Job Evaluation process followed at Derby City Council has been solely driven by the need to save money rather than an attempt to provide an equality-proofed pay system. I asked, last year, for information regarding the scheme in order that we could analyse the whole results to satisfy ourselves that it was fit for purpose, as I have done in every other Council across the region. Only Derby has refused to share that information with us and you have to ask why?”
Andy went on:
“Obviously we would hope that if indeed the rumours are correct and the Job Evaluation is connected to this suspension then I would expect the Council to halt the proposed implementation in schools, which is timetabled for next April, and conduct a full and proper investigation into what exactly has happened.”
For further comment contact David Jowett on 01332 643216/217 or Andy Freeman on 07904 326824