All Staff Briefing – Pay Award Consultations 2014/15
Dear Colleague
This briefing note is designed to give you information on the annual pay consultation process and the council’s proposals for change.
If you are a member of one of the trade unions you will also be asked separately, by them, to identify whether you want them to agree to the council’s proposals and accept the pay offer on behalf of all employees.
Background
The council and trade unions (UNISON and UNITE) conduct annual pay bargaining to determine changes to both pay scales and any associated terms and conditions. The council has been on local pay since the 1990’s and there has been a track record of successful pay bargaining since that time.
In recent years at national level there was a pay freeze during the period 2010 – 2013 and in 2013/4 there was a 1% pay increase. This council has consistently aimed to recognise the expectations of staff to maintain their pay levels and although council budgets have not been able to match the level of pay inflation over recent years there has not been any year in which there have been zero pay awards for all staff. The council has also endeavoured to improve the rate of progress of those in the lowest pay grades through ‘bottom loading’ the pay awards.
2013 – 1% pay increase but Living Wage reflected for the lowest paid
2012 – £250 to new grades 2- 6
2011 - £250 to grades below grade 8
2010 – 0.5% to all grades
The budget for 2014/15 contained up to 1% for pay inflation (in addition to incremental progression) and the council plans to use this on the pay award. The pay inflation is not proposed to be paid across the board as a percentage but as a flat rate increase of £250 on all pay scale points, this represents an award of between 1.7 and 0.2%; in addition the first point of grade 2 has been increased to reflect the current Living Wage level. The proposed pay scales are set out at the end of the document.
In addition to the pay scales and as part of an overall package, the council has been consulting on changes to some of our terms and conditions which are set out below. These changes will enable us to more closely mirror the benefits in the other MKIP partners, cease allowances which are infrequently used or save money. Finally, the council’s contracts of employment have continued to refer to the NJC terms and conditions and these proposals mean that our local terms and conditions will now completely replace these links and this clause will be removed.
Although this consultation process has been delayed beyond 1st April once agreed all payments will be backdated to this date.
Summary of proposals
|
Benefit |
Consistency with partners |
Cost saving or efficiency |
|
Reduction in annual leave allowances for new starters to: Grades 1-7 22 (+5 after five years); Grades 8-11 24(+3 after five years); Grades 12-13 26 (+3 after five years); Grades 14-16 32 Protection to existing staff on their current schemes whilst in current post. |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Unsocial hours payments removed These are rarely paid in normal circumstances - however there is recognition that the emergency planning payments need to be agreed. |
Yes |
|
|
Compassionate Leave reduced from 7 to 5 days |
Yes |
|
|
Flexitime arrangements to be standardised across MKIP partners – core hours, debit/ credit rules etc. The new rules to be developed jointly in the next few months. |
Yes |
|
|
Excess Travel Policy – new policy – draft attached. |
Yes |
|
|
Maternity Support Leave removed (rarely used benefit) |
Yes |
|
|
Retirement Gift to be removed and current Long Service Award to be replaced with Service Recognition Award – draft attached |
Yes |
|
The trade unions have requested:
· that there is a transitional arrangement for the retirement gifts for anyone due to retire in the next year and this has been agreed;
· that there is some flexibility for compassionate leave to be extended to a maximum of 7 days if there are exceptional circumstances – this has been agreed.
In addition the council has already agreed changes to its Home working policy (available on the intranet) which sets a maximum limit of £10 per month available for Broadband for permanent home workers
There has also been an ‘in principle’ discussion about the complete closure of Maidstone House between Christmas and New Year. This would mean that staff would have to reserve some of their own annual leave to cover these days. Although there is currently no Member direction on this option management would want to reserve the right to introduce this way of working with a minimum six month notice period to ensure staff have the opportunity to reserve their annual leave for the purpose; the union have agreed this approach in principle but as yet there is no decision for Christmas 2014.
The majority of these policy changes can be introduced once agreement is finalised with trade unions but some of the changes (unsocial hours and annual leave arrangements) will need to have final approval by the Member and Employment and Development Panel before implementation.
Next Steps
The council consults with the trade unions as the representatives of all employees and the decision to agree to the proposals will be determined by the trade union vote amongst its members. Once agreed the pay increases should follow in the next months’ pay and will include back-dated pay to 1st April 2014.
If you have any questions regarding these proposals please contact me or your trade union representatives, Alastair Barker, UNISON or John Neale, UNITE.
Yours sincerely
Dena Smart
Head of HR Shared Service
t 01622 602712 f 01622 602975
|
Salary Scales wef 1st April 2014 |
|||||||
|
Grade |
Spine point 1 |
Spine point 2 |
Spine point 3 |
Spine point 4 |
Spine point 5 |
Spine point 6 |
Spine point 7 |
|
1 |
GRADE ONE IS NO LONGER IN USE |
||||||
|
2 |
£14,760 |
£14,982 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
£15,391 |
£15,770 |
£16,158 |
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
£16,476 |
£16,882 |
£17,297 |
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
£17,625 |
£18,059 |
£18,505 |
£18,961 |
|
|
|
|
6 |
£19,519 |
£20,001 |
£20,494 |
£21,000 |
|
|
|
|
7 |
£21,498 |
£22,030 |
£22,574 |
£23,133 |
|
|
|
|
8 |
£23,498 |
£24,196 |
£24,914 |
£25,655 |
|
|
|
|
9 |
£26,662 |
£27,454 |
£28,270 |
£29,111 |
|
|
|
|
10 |
£29,665 |
£30,548 |
£31,457 |
£32,393 |
|
|
|
|
11 |
£32,689 |
£33,663 |
£34,665 |
£35,697 |
|
|
|
|
12 |
£36,404 |
£37,850 |
£39,354 |
£40,919 |
|
|
|
|
13 |
£42,698 |
£44,541 |
£46,382 |
£48,181 |
£50,357 |
£52,533 |
£54,708 |
|
14 |
£58,602 |
£61,249 |
£63,897 |
£66,545 |
£69,689 |
£72,926 |
£75,082 |
|
15 |
£77,684 |
£81,080 |
£84,478 |
£87,875 |
£91,272 |
£94,669 |
£98,446 |
|
16 |
£103,086 |
£106,016 |
£108,948 |
£111,878 |
£114,810 |
£117,740 |
£122,440 |
Excess Travel Policy
1. Policy Introduction
This policy is to ensure that staff are reimbursed appropriately for travel costs incurred following a change of base and/or a requirement to travel to organisations with which their employer is in partnership. This is on the understanding that the reason for the additional travel costs is likely to be due to organisational change.
2. Aim
The policy sets out the Council’s position in relation to:
- When excess travel mileage will be paid;
- What can be claimed by an employee who has transferred to a new location;
- When transfer of work location mileage can and cannot be claimed;
- How long an employee is entitled to receive excess travel mileage payments
3. Excess Travel Allowance
3.1 Definition
Excess travel is an allowance paid to staff who have had their work base changed permanently (as a result of organisational change) and/or are required to travel to organisations with which their employer is in partnership; and where the distance between home and their new base is significantly greater than the distance between home and their old base.
3.2 Allowances
An employee will be entitled to excess travel mileage if as a result of a change to their work base; the journey to their new work base from home is further than 5 miles (one way) than the distance travelled from home to their existing work base.
Example 1:
An employee who lives in Tonbridge and whose previous work base was Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) has been transferred to Swale Borough Council (SBC):
Home to previous work base (TWBC) = 7.5 miles
Home to new work base (SBC) = 27.5 miles
The employee would be required to travel an extra 20 miles each way and therefore they would be entitled to receive excess travel mileage.
Example 2:
An employee who lives in Gillingham and whose previous work base was Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) has been transferred to SBC:
Home to previous work base (MBC) = 11 miles
Home to new work base (SBC) = 13 miles
The employee’s additional mileage is less than 5 miles and therefore they would not be entitled to excess travel mileage.
For the purpose of this policy, distances to employees previous work base and their new work base will be calculated using postcode information for each address. The distance between the two postcodes will be calculated using ‘Google Maps’ with distances rounded to the nearest ½ mile.
Additional travel time will not be paid or allowed for in relation to organisational change.
3.3 Payment of Claims
Mileage will be paid based on current council car mileage rates and claimed monthly on itrent. It will only be paid for days travelled from home to the new place of work.
If public transport is used reimbursement of fares covering the excess miles will be paid on production of a valid ticket.
3.4 Approval
Excess travel payments may be authorised initially by the relevant Head of Service in consultation with Human Resources, thereafter the normal claim process through iTrent with line manager approval should be followed.
4. Duration
Allowances will be paid for a maximum of 3 years from the date of the change of work base for employees that have incurred additional travel costs from the change.
5. Further Changes to Work Base
If a member of staff voluntarily changes their work base through for example applying for a new job within the partnership then entitlement to these allowances will cease from the date that they take up their new post.
If further organisational change results in a change to work base within the 3 year period then the excess travel allowance will be re-calculated. Where the new base is a greater distance than the initial ‘home’ base but less than the initial relocation distance the allowance will be re-calculated on the distance from the initial ‘home’ base and will be paid for the remainder of the three year period.
6. If an Employee Moves Home
If the member of staff moves house during the 3 year period, the following principles will apply:
· If they move further away they should continue to claim the excess to a maximum of the amount they were originally claiming.
· If they move closer to their new base, but still further from the new work base than their previous work base, the payment will therefore reduce and will be calculated on the basis of the difference in mileage between the new home and new work base and their new home and previous work base until the original 3 year period ends.
7. Other Business Travel
The excess travel would not be applicable where a member of staff travels from home to a different location; normal business mileage should be claimed if this is appropriate.
8. Equality and Diversity
This policy applies to all employees, irrespective of age, race, colour, religion/belief, disability, nationality, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, gender reassignment or trade union membership. All employees will be treated in a fair and equitable manner recognising any special needs of individuals where adjustments need to be made. No member of staff will suffer any form of discrimination, inequality, victimisation, harassment or bullying as a result of implementing this policy.
March 2014
DRAFT
Long Service Recognition Scheme
Policy Statement
We believe that it is important to recognise and reward those members of staff who have worked at Maidstone Borough Council for a significant period of time. We will recognise and reward those who have worked at Maidstone Borough Council but not in other local government bodies.
We intend to recognise long service (in year) at the awards event each year; this will involve their names being published as part of the programme for the event.
The scheme will also allow for financial reward for reaching significant milestones. The awards will be available in the form of a shopping voucher. It will be due on the anniversary of the date a member of staff began working with Maidstone Borough Council.
The rewards will be as follows:
10 Years – Certificate of Recognition and £25 voucher
15 Years - Certificate of Recognition and £50 voucher
20 Years - Certificate of Recognition and £75 voucher
25 Years - Certificate of Recognition and £100 voucher
30 Years - Certificate of Recognition and £150 voucher
35 Years - Certificate of Recognition and £200 voucher
40 Years - Certificate of Recognition and £500 voucher
These vouchers will be administered at the end of each quarter. The scheme is introduced from 1 September 2014 and awards will not be made retrospectively for milestones reached before this date.