Another Fine Mess
Edinburgh has got itself into another fine mess - this time over the pay protection arrangements that should apply following the introduction of Single Status.
Under the 1999 Single Status Agreement - any employee whose pay drops as a result of the job review - is entitled to three years pay protection.
But no one seems to have sat down and worked out how this should be done.
So the council has taken the easy way out and just used people's P60s from last year - which show the total amount of an employee's earnings.
Problem is that if someone was off sick for a long spell - or on unpaid maternity leave - then a P60 is not representative of a person's normal earnings.
As usual the unions are making a mountain out of a molehill - threatening industrial action - and disruption to services.
But the problem has more to do the unions' failure to iron out these important details - in negotiations with council managers.
Under the 1999 Single Status Agreement - any employee whose pay drops as a result of the job review - is entitled to three years pay protection.
But no one seems to have sat down and worked out how this should be done.
So the council has taken the easy way out and just used people's P60s from last year - which show the total amount of an employee's earnings.
Problem is that if someone was off sick for a long spell - or on unpaid maternity leave - then a P60 is not representative of a person's normal earnings.
As usual the unions are making a mountain out of a molehill - threatening industrial action - and disruption to services.
But the problem has more to do the unions' failure to iron out these important details - in negotiations with council managers.
