North Lanarkshire Update

As I've explained on the blog site previously, the local trade unions (GMB, Unison and Unite) along with the Council are the 'architects' of North Lanarkshire's latest job evaluation (JE) exercise.

All the key decisions have been taken behind closed doors and key information about the JE review is only very slowly being dripped fed to the workforce, on an individual basis, instead of being presented at meetings where those affected can raise issues and ask questions.

If you ask me, the NLC workforce deserves better and ought to be regarded as key partners in the review process which means access to high quality information, as well as the opportunity to have their concerns properly addressed.

As a result lots of people are asking me to explain things that can only be answered by the Council and the trade unions, but here are the key questions and issues that have been raised with me and A4ES in the past 24 hours.  

1. Why are there no proper JE briefings for staff? 
2. Staff excluded from the JE Review are affected by the outcome, so how will any grading anomalies and knock-on effects be addressed?
3. Information is being supplied on an individual basis which prevents staff from understanding how other jobs, such as male comparators, have been treated. 
4. Staff are not being placed at the top of their new grades without any explanation, even if they have been in post since 2007.
5. Backpay is being paid to only some staff (not all those in the same job and grade) and the methodology being used is not clear.
6. Staff in supervisory roles are being placed on lower grades than employees they supervise.
7. Night Shift workers have been awarded lower grades than day shift colleagues.
8. Sheltered Housing Wardens  and Clerical Workers were awarded higher grades at the Employment Tribunals which has obvious implications for the JE Review
9. Classroom Assistants are fighting for a higher grade in the Employment Tribunals which also has implications for the JE Review
10. NLC has not published the Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) which the Council agreed to carry out as part of the JE Review?

So these are the issues that North Lanarkshire Council and the unions need to get to grips with in the days ahead.

For the avoidance of any doubt, the equal pay claims of all former clients of Stefan Cross Solicitors, Fox Cross Solicitors and Fox and Partners Solicitors are now being handled by Action 4 Equality Scotland.

Which means there is no need for A4ES clients to do anything, other than sit tight at this stage, while clarification is being sought from the Council on the outstanding issues.

In the meantime, please don't contact me or A4ES with individual queries at the moment as it is not possible to respond to such enquiries on an individual basis.