Category: Derby City Council

Update on UNISON’s Position

I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate UNISON’s position with regard to the council’s decision to seek individual agreement on the changes to our terms & conditions. Our advice to our members is to not sign.  This is because if there is a legal challenge only UNISON members who have not signed will be part of that challenge and receive a part of a pay-out should one happen.

UNION’s legal team are working hard to build an equal pay case. We are also looking at the prospect of a collective unfair dismissal claim, again this would only involve those UNISON members who have not signed the new terms & conditions.

Myth Busting FAQs

What happens to my continuity of service if I don’t sign?

It will have zero effect on your service.

Will it go on my staff record?

Although not a legal requirement, DCC are saying that it will be noted on your record. It will show as ‘dismissal for any other substantial reason’. This will not have any detriment to you whilst you are still working for DCC and will not be included in a reference should you be applying for other work in the future. DCC say that they need to keep a record of who was dismissed and reengaged for any future fall-out from unfair dismissal appeals. However, we believe this is being used as a scare tactic in get people to sign.

If I have been downgraded, do I need to sign to keep my protection of pay?

No, whether you sign or not your agreed time of pay protection will start on 1 June. It makes no difference at all.

For any advice or help please don’t hesitate to contact us on unison@derby.gov.uk or call us on 01332 643216 .

Nicole Berrisford – Branch Secretary

This is a quick update to you all as our time recently has been physically taken up, meeting with members in schools.

The plight of our TA members in schools worsens as a number of schools are only offering additional hours to staff who voluntarily sign up to the new terms and conditions. They are threatening to withdraw the offer of extra temporary hours if staff do not sign voluntarily.

UNISON Derby City Schools Team are challenging this approach in the strongest terms in schools who feel they have to link the two issues. We wonder why a school leadership team would want to treat staff in this way?

In fact the agreement and guidance signed by the council made no mention of the offers of additional hours being conditional on accepting the changes but issued the directive in an attempt to help staff suffering huge losses.

It would appear to be a directive issued by HR to reduce their workload.

We thank those schools…the majority, who are taking a caring and helpful approach to helping their staff through this distressing time and making the decision to separate the issues. It must be made clear that the decision to link the issues, or not, is one for individual schools and their governors.

When HR are challenged directly as to whether they are instructing schools to link the issues they invariably reply that they are not.

This issue is leaving school leadership and staff feeling confused and intimidated. The solution is simple and has been adopted by many schools.  Offers of additional hours are not conditional on acceptance of DCC’s new changed Terms and Conditions.

Many questions re the changes to Terms and Conditions remain unanswered as DCC sail into uncharted territory with school support staff moving to term time only contracts. We have collated these and will present them formally to the pay and reward team on your behalf.

Please be assured that we will let you know when we have a response.

Members in the schools who are being denied hours if they do not sign, say they feel they are being backed into a corner and feel threatened by this approach. We shall be raising this issue with the elected members.

In the meantime if you are affected in this way, please appeal to your School Governors and ask your head to compromise. Be assured that we shall continue to challenge this approach and if you feel bullied or intimidated into signing, you should email the schools team or the branch: unison@derby.gov.uk