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Schools November 2015 Bulletin

Demonstration Wednesday 4 November 2015

Demonstration Wednesday 5 November 2015
Demonstration Wednesday 5 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

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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.

BSue Bonserook 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

 

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Campaigns Derby City Council Derby Homes News Newsletter Retired Members Schools UNISON

November Bulletin 2015

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Heres our latest bulletin – In this issue we are covering:

  • NJC 2016 Update
  • Organisational Change
  • Next Steps in Job Evaluation

 

2016 NJC Pay Claim

Heather Wakefield and your local branch team
Heather Wakefield and your local branch team

We were delighted to welcome Heather Wakefield, UNISON’s Head of Local Government to Derby to talk with members about the 2016 NJC Pay Claim.  Heather spoke in detail  about the negotiation process which takes place nationally and what the Trade Union Side has submitted as part of this.

 

  • Deletion of NJC and all local pay points which fall below the level of the UK Living Wage (and deletion of GLPC pay points below London Living Wage) and a flat rate increase of £1 per hour on all other pay points
  • Retention and protection of Green Book Part 2 terms and conditions and
  • Fair treatment for school support staff through a joint review of term time working.

Heather also listened to the concerns of those members present to help influence the UNISON contribution to these negotiations.

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Derby City Council News Schools UNISON

Important Pay Review Update – Schools – Monday 2 November 2015

We met with the employer side on Monday 19 October 2015 whereby we discussed UNISON’s further request to delay implementation of Terms and Conditions in Schools.

The employer agreed to go away and consider the request, to date we have had no further feedback.

UNISON also formally wrote to the employer requesting that they provide us with their proposals and timeline of their intention to seek Individual Agreement and to dismiss and re-engage Contracts of Employment to impose these changes so that we can best advise our members. In addition UNISON informed the employer that they were unable to attend the pay meeting on Monday 2 November, the employer has decided to go ahead with the meeting without UNISON and has not provided us with any information regarding their intentions.

UNISON is disappointed by the employer’s reluctance to meaningfully engage with us so that we can best advise our members.

We will now be having an emergency meeting with our legal team, the National Head of Local Government, Heather Wakefield and the Regional Head of Local Government, Andy Belfield with regard to the situation in Derby. As you are aware UNISON’s legal Team has raised concerns about the potential equal pay liabilities which are growing and concerns over the Single Status process in its entirety.

We have also raised our concerns with our legal team on the employer’s intentions to move away from the agreed appeals process, the lack of information provided and implications for those members who have already submitted their appeals.

Please look out for further updates later in the week.

As always any advice, legal or otherwise, will only apply to UNISON members and is there to ensure you are meaningfully supported. This will not be widely circulated. This will be individual advice on your individual contract of employment for our members only.

Yours sincerely

Nicole Berrisford