Demonstration Wednesday 4 November 2015
Thank you to all those who took part in the demo outside the council house this week. The turn out was fantastic and demonstrated the strength of feeling. We handed in the completed Petition signed by over 5000 people seeking a new approach to implementing this process in schools. Special thank you to Karen Askew who worked with UNISON’s local steward Jane Daniels at St Andrews to coordinate this. Thank you to Matt Chell for his skills on the megaphone.
Individual Agreement V Dismissal and Reengagement
You have nothing to lose but all to gain. Derby City Council has made it clear that they will be seeking to individually agree with each staff member the proposed changes within the next few weeks. If they aren’t able to secure this agreement then they will be forced to Dismiss and reengage (following a 12 week consultation process). Further details of this timetable should be shared after the Staffing Committee have met and agreed this. The Council are optimistic most people will sign and accept the changes thereby minimizing the need to dismiss and reengage which is not the Council’s preferred option.
We would urge members NOT to sign individual agreements. This is validated by our legal advice that the agreement is not sound and potentially opens up new Equal Pay liabilities. Therefore, if the employer is unable to seek your individual agreement and are forced to dismiss and reengage, you will be able to seek legal recourse in the future. If you sign and accept the offer made to you, then you waive any rights to pursue future claims for this change of contract.
UNISON would prefer to seek a collective agreement, however we are unable to do so given the concerns we have, which have been raised, and have not been addressed. Therefore we cannot sign away your collective rights.
Members are reporting that they are being offered and asked to agree additional hours. Please note this is not your offer or individual agreement from the employer. You are able to accept these hours, but you will need to ascertain whether they are temporary, supply or a permanent increase in hours. We don’t believe that an offer to some members of additional hours is enough to mitigate the changes to your income. We believe that contractual hours should reflect the hours that you work to enable you to carry out all of your duties.
Delayed Implementation
UNISON has maintained that this process is more complicated than the timetable set by the employer has allowed. Therefore we have sought for a delay to implementation to fully consider all the options, alternatives and appeal process. It is not our strategy to delay for the sake of delaying and this delay relates only to Terms and Conditions (not Pay, but the employer has linked the two elements) It is likely that delay to implementation may now occur given collective agreement cannot be reached. This is not our choosing and it is better that this is imposed on you through dismissal and reengagement than you accepting this change., as given above.
B
ook a visit to your school……..
We aim to revisit every school in the next few weeks. We can explore further our advice and answer your concerns.
Contact Sue Bonser and Julia Redfern on 01332 643216 or email: Suzanne.bonser@derby.gov.uk