Midlothian Council
Midlothian Council is holding a series of staff consultation meetings this week - the purpose of which is to invite views on its proposed new pay and grading structure.
Now for consultation to be meaningful and genuine -the people doing the consulting have to listen and respond to what is said to them - in this case the council and its senior managers.
So, we would like to take this opportunity to encourage employees to attend one of these consultation meetings - and demand that everyone is provided with the scores that underpin the council's Job Evaluation Scheme (JES).
Up until now Midlothian Council has stubbornly refused to provide this information - even though it should be freely available.
As far as we know, Midlothian is the only council in the whole of Scotland that seems determined to keep employees firmly in the dark - when it comes to details of its JES.
Without the scores of all the different council posts - no one can have any confidence that the job evaluation exercise has been carried out fairly.
So, the council's talk about a new, modern and non-discriminatory pay and grading structure is just plain crazy - if senior managers are the only people who know how it works.
Our advice is simple - council employees should insist that they are provided with this information before things proceed any further - otherwise the consultation process is a farce.
If your request is denied, then complain - complain to your line manager, your local councillor, your MSP and MP - in writing, by e-mail or in person.
Because Midlothian Council will be in a position where it is having to defend the indefensible.
Now for consultation to be meaningful and genuine -the people doing the consulting have to listen and respond to what is said to them - in this case the council and its senior managers.
So, we would like to take this opportunity to encourage employees to attend one of these consultation meetings - and demand that everyone is provided with the scores that underpin the council's Job Evaluation Scheme (JES).
Up until now Midlothian Council has stubbornly refused to provide this information - even though it should be freely available.
As far as we know, Midlothian is the only council in the whole of Scotland that seems determined to keep employees firmly in the dark - when it comes to details of its JES.
Without the scores of all the different council posts - no one can have any confidence that the job evaluation exercise has been carried out fairly.
So, the council's talk about a new, modern and non-discriminatory pay and grading structure is just plain crazy - if senior managers are the only people who know how it works.
Our advice is simple - council employees should insist that they are provided with this information before things proceed any further - otherwise the consultation process is a farce.
If your request is denied, then complain - complain to your line manager, your local councillor, your MSP and MP - in writing, by e-mail or in person.
Because Midlothian Council will be in a position where it is having to defend the indefensible.
