Who's Kidding Who?
As regular readers know, North Lanarkshire's late-running job evaluation (JE) review should have been completed before the end of December 2015.
Last Thursday (9th June) the Council and local trade unions announced that they had reached a 'deal' and proceeded to clap each other on the back, but crucially without releasing any details about what exactly had been agreed.
I also pointed out that the agreement had not been put to a proper ballot of trade unions members, as has happened before on previous occasions.
So who's kidding who here? - I have to ask because the Council and the unions have had months togged their act together and yet still the workforce is being kept in the dark.
North Lanarkshire Update (10/06/16)
The dust is still settling from yesterday's news on North Lanarkshire Council's late-running job evaluation (JE) review, but a number of important points can be made even at this early stage.
1 The workforce and union members are still in the dark as to what has been agreed since no details about the review have been released
2 The new job descriptions, factor scores and details of any new grades are all still being kept secret - and just as in 2006/7 all the key decisions are being made behind closed doors
3 Rumour has it that Home Carers will benefit from a new and higher grade, but if so why is there such a lack of openness and transparency in the process?
4 A report has gone to the Council's Policy & Resources Committee yet this has not been shared with union members and the wider workforce.
5 No details have been released about the promised Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) to show how the outcome impacts on different claimant and comparator jobs.
6 Large groups of workers have been excluded from the review including catering, cleaning and clerical staff, classroom assistants, sheltered housing wardens and staff in day care or residential establishments.
7 School based clerical staff and sheltered housing wardens has already established that their jobs are incorrectly graded at the Glasgow Employment Tribunal - yet these crucial developments seem to have been deliberately ignored by the JE review.
So at this stage there are far more questions than answers and both the Council and the unions seem intent on 'sending out letters' informing employees on an individual basis about the outcome of the review.
Which is a very odd, because surely the right way to proceed is to organise proper briefing meetings for staff where people can make comments, raise any concerns they have and have their questions answered.
I have to say if I were a union member in North Lanarkshire, I would feel that the Council and the trade unions were treating me like an idiot.
**STOP PRESS** (09/06/16)
A kind reader has sent me a copy of a joint Press Release issued earlier today by North Lanarkshire Council and the local trade unions regarding the late-running job evaluation (JE) review.
Now there's no mention of any new grades in the press statement and so the workforce is still in the dark as to how the various claimant and comparator jobs have been assessed and scored - relative to one another.
So I'm not counting any chickens until they're hatched.
So I'm not counting any chickens until they're hatched.
And while I hope all the talk about higher grades for the female dominated claimant jobs is true, I'll be postponing any celebration until I see the full details of the JE review and confirmation of any new grades that have been awarded.
North Lanarkshire is hailing 'no detriment' as the most crucial aspect of the review which is definitely not the case, if you ask me.
Because the big issue at stake is proper recognition and a much improved grade for long-suffering staff including the Council's Home Care workers.
JOB RE-EVALUATION COMPLETE AT NORTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL
North Lanarkshire Council and the UNISON, Unite and GMB trade unions have completed a re-evaluation of eight job roles agreed as part of last year’s successful conclusion to equal pay claims.
Working with an independent advisor, a joint team of council staff and trade union officials have been involved in carrying out the re-evaluation, the outcome of which was approved at the council’s Policy & Resources Committee today (Thursday).
The eight jobs are home support worker, school crossing patroller, playground supervisor, road sweeper, two grades of gardener and chargehand gardener.
Employees in these jobs will be notified about the outcome of the exercise formally over the coming days and there is no detriment to any employee as a result.
Councillor Paul Kelly, depute leader of North Lanarkshire Council, said: “This re-evaluation exercise was agreed by the council and the trade unions as part of equal pay settlements and I’m delighted that it is now complete. The most crucial element is that there is no detriment to any employee as a result.
“I would like to thank the council staff involved for their efforts on what has been, at times, a complex journey. I would also like to thank the trade unions and their representatives for the positive way they have approached this joint work and their input into the joint project board which has overseen this work.
“It is particularly pleasing to complete another chapter on equal pay, which we are determined to address quickly and effectively, so soon after reaching agreement on a number of claims last week. We are absolutely committed to equality and this is another sign of that commitment.”
Marie Quigley, UNISON Branch Secretary, said: “I very much welcome the positive outcome of this re-evaluation process. It’s the latest victory in our fight for equal pay. The result finally puts an end to the inequality that many women who work hard for this council have both endured and fought against for years. I want to thank everyone who worked tirelessly to achieve this result, particularly the union reps and council officers who worked together to make sure that the process was carried out in a fair, honest and professional way. I also would like to thank our members, who have waited a very long time for this result, for their patience and support.”
William McGonigle of Unite said: “I would like to thank all the staff and others who have participated in this process for their hard work which has produced a positive outcome for our members. This has been a long time coming and I’m delighted that this has been resolved for those members. They are now on an equal footing but we will continue the fight against inequality wherever we find it.”
Tony Dowling, Senior Officer for the GMB, added: "Equality in all its forms is of paramount importance to the GMB and equal pay for work done by ordinary hard working people is a fundamental right embodied in legislation that for decades was ignored. The GMB supports equal pay fully and will work with employers to achieve this aim in what can be lengthy and complex negotiations.”
The eight jobs are home support worker, school crossing patroller, playground supervisor, road sweeper, two grades of gardener and chargehand gardener.
Employees in these jobs will be notified about the outcome of the exercise formally over the coming days and there is no detriment to any employee as a result.
Councillor Paul Kelly, depute leader of North Lanarkshire Council, said: “This re-evaluation exercise was agreed by the council and the trade unions as part of equal pay settlements and I’m delighted that it is now complete. The most crucial element is that there is no detriment to any employee as a result.
“I would like to thank the council staff involved for their efforts on what has been, at times, a complex journey. I would also like to thank the trade unions and their representatives for the positive way they have approached this joint work and their input into the joint project board which has overseen this work.
“It is particularly pleasing to complete another chapter on equal pay, which we are determined to address quickly and effectively, so soon after reaching agreement on a number of claims last week. We are absolutely committed to equality and this is another sign of that commitment.”
Marie Quigley, UNISON Branch Secretary, said: “I very much welcome the positive outcome of this re-evaluation process. It’s the latest victory in our fight for equal pay. The result finally puts an end to the inequality that many women who work hard for this council have both endured and fought against for years. I want to thank everyone who worked tirelessly to achieve this result, particularly the union reps and council officers who worked together to make sure that the process was carried out in a fair, honest and professional way. I also would like to thank our members, who have waited a very long time for this result, for their patience and support.”
William McGonigle of Unite said: “I would like to thank all the staff and others who have participated in this process for their hard work which has produced a positive outcome for our members. This has been a long time coming and I’m delighted that this has been resolved for those members. They are now on an equal footing but we will continue the fight against inequality wherever we find it.”
Tony Dowling, Senior Officer for the GMB, added: "Equality in all its forms is of paramount importance to the GMB and equal pay for work done by ordinary hard working people is a fundamental right embodied in legislation that for decades was ignored. The GMB supports equal pay fully and will work with employers to achieve this aim in what can be lengthy and complex negotiations.”
