Friday 15 April 2016

Latest From Napo 102

The latest blog post by Napo General Secretary:-

PAY 2015/16 – NAPO SECURES PAY OFFER FOR STAFF ON MAX

The Officers have agreed the recommendation from the Napo negotiators to ask our members in the NPS and CRCs to signal their acceptance of a pay offer which has been made to the NNC Joint Secretaries this week. This has emerged from the discussions between the probation unions and NOMS about the outstanding elements of the joint unions pay claim which I have mentioned in a previous blog posting.

A branch circular is being prepared for issue on Monday which sets out the detail behind the recommendation and the timetable for the conduct of the ratification process, which we are hoping branches will help us conclude by on 16 May.

Nobody here will claim that the offer (which provides a minimum and pensionable £300 underpin) is a huge victory, or that it represents a fair reward for the efforts of our members in maintaining services in the post-TR world.

Nevertheless, it’s worth reflecting that:

  • It’s the first pensionable pay award of any sort for staff at their pay maxima since 2010.
  • Napo has successfully argued that the terms of the Local Government Pension Scheme should apply to the offer and have negotiated extra funding to make this possible.
  • Napo does not agree with and reserves its position on the assertion by NOMS (which will be seen in the full offer) that future payments of this type would not attract a pensionable element.
  • The offer needs to be seen in the context of other pay awards across NOMS and elsewhere which have not provided a similar payment.
What you would get

The increases on offer by pay band are as follows. These amounts only apply to staff at their pay maxima as other staff will be entitled to payment of their contractual increment. Our understanding so far is that (with the exception of two CRC’s who are currently transitioning their payroll services) all outstanding increments should have been received by Napo members working in a CRC. Branch Chairs are asked to let us know if this is not the case.

Band         Basic Salary  Payment % of pay
Band 1       £17,243        £300.00    1.74%
Band 2       £21,605        £300.00    1.39%
Band 3       £27,373        £325.00    1.19%
Band 4       £36,084        £375.00    1.04%
Band 5       £39,818        £450.00    1.13%
Band 6       £47,117        £475.00    1.01%
Band A      £52,846        £528.46     1.00%
Band B      £63,214        £632.14     1.00%
Band C      £71,939        £719.39     1.00%
Band D      £87,783        £877.83     1.00%

Of course the offer makes it clear that NOMS cannot make payments of the lump sums on behalf of the CRC’s, and that the unions will need to establish communications with the CRC’s (through the NNC Joint Secretaries) for them to effect payment should their respective members signal acceptance.

The Officers share my view that while this represents some welcome news in tough times, it merely highlights the continuing inadequacies of the probation pay structure.


Looking ahead

We will soon be engaging in ‘shadow discussions’ with NOMS whilst we await a remit for 2016-2017 pay and beyond, where the focus must be on attaining a shorter route for pay progression and a reward structure that more fairly reflects your skills and the work that your employer expects from you.

Look out for more on Pay and the current negotiations on E3 next week when I hope to share some positive news about what Napo is trying to achieve for our members.

Enjoy your weekend

36 comments:

  1. A bit perverse that band 5 get a higher percentage than band 4. And for the rest no pay rise at all, just incremental shifts.

    'We urge Conference to instruct Probation Negotiating Committee to negotiate a pay award of no less than 3% for the 2015 agreement as part of ongoing talks and as recompense for the hard work, dedication and loyalty that staff have demonstrated in recent year' (part of motion carried at Eastbourne AGM last year)

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  2. Probation Officer15 April 2016 at 18:33

    As usual band 4 probation officers come off worst. We really are the forgotten children although we're the ones doing the frontline work.

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  3. Disgusted! The gap widens those of us who have years to reach top will never get there

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  4. Another devisive decision well done Napo

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  5. We already voted to take strike action on this didn't we?? Whatever happened to that?

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  6. Isnt 1.04 % more than 1 incremental point ?

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  7. I agree entirely. NAPO are essentially pursuing a policy of age discrimination. Younger employees will have to wait a lifetime to reach the top, whilst older employees who enjoyed the good times are still being rewarded with this deal.

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  8. NAPO need to sort the banding's out - 20 odd years to get to the top of scales 3 & 4. Deadwood at the top of the scale taking at least £300 more home per month than me and it's a joke.

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  9. Why assume someone at top of scale is deadwood.Scales may need sorting but there is no need to be abusive to colleagues

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    1. im not assuming anything I work with these people day in day out.

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  10. Some of us joined the service when we were told it would take 10 years to reach the top . Well 19 years in and Im still not there . NAPO always promised we would be next when negotiating pay . No one came back for us and all this impacts on our pensions as well. Time to look elsewhere I think

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    1. Napo have been promising this for years I'm 13 years in and still nearer bottom than top it's so unfair and we still have to wait till end of year to get our contractual incremental point

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    2. Dead wood here. I have 19 years in as a PO and 5 Years prior to that as a Probation Ancillary which was later changed to a PSO. I'm not at the top of my pay scale either. When I first started we used to get 3 increments and a pay rise but MOJ/NOMS stopped that years ago. The TU (not just Napo) have been fighting this for years with little success. Would you go on strike to protest about this issue? I doubt it . It's not fair the whole thing is a mess but members have already demonstrated they will not give up a days pay to protest. That obviously means that non union members are not reaping the benefits. I strongly suspect that many posters on here are non Union members who have always benefitted from the interventions of the few.

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    3. Simply find a job where pay is incremented on merit rather than on the ticking of a clock! Enough of the impotent whinging already!

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    4. Hahaha performance related pay? Or payment by results? In my book it's called fraud!,,

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  11. As this pay deal relates to 2015-16, it's important that anyone who left during the year to ask for this to be paid to them, otherwise I don't think it would automatically happen.

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  12. Dead wood here,

    Hold up. I have had NOTHING for 5 years. I totally agree that its ludicrous to spend 21 years to get to the top. I have argued and railed against it, but I have had nothing at all. I am not "Stealing" the stupid inadequate and frankly insulting 1% you are getting, I am just getting it as well for the first time, And incidentally upping the top of your scale by £300 into the bargain.

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    1. Don't think that's correct those at the top have had non consolidated payments

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  13. It's amazing people at the top of their scale have not had a pay rise for years due to public sector pay freeze. It's a measly amount but the TUs (including Unison and GMB have fought for it. It's the employers who have stalled on this not the unions some people want to blame a Napo for everything there are TWO other unions involved in this and their silence is deafening. As for the individual who called experienced officers deadwood how dare you! I wonder how far you would get without their knowledge and experience to fall back on.

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    1. Apologies, I meant to say at the beginning of my post that I am amazed and appalled at some of the comments I've seen about this topic.

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  14. Increments are not pay rises. After 19 years of being qualified I believe I should be paid the same as my colleague's on the top of the scale .Why should they be earning more than me ? However rather than letting this nonsense divide us let's support each other and send back a firm no

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    1. Your right increments are not pay rises but as they are at the top of the pay scale it not an increment but a pay rise for this group of staff. I doubt the majority will reject it.

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    2. The changes to incremental progression has been a pay cut not a payrise. Thats why after 19 years Im still paid less than my colleague

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    3. Well what can you do about it?

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    4. Luvkily for me Im leaving the service but the unfairness is shocking. I hope people will support each other not accept this rubbish and more importantly not let it devide. Why increase top of the scale if this means others may nevet have the opportunity to reach it . Isnt this discriminatory ?

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    5. typed too quickly I appologise for the incorrect spellings in my previous post

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    6. Yes it is if colleagues of a different gender are earning more than you for doing the same job. What are you as a member of probation staff prepared to do about it? Reject the offer? Doubt it. Strike? Not likely leave that for the Napo members who are willing to lose money and stand on a picket line watching their colleagues going into work.

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    7. So many asdumptions . Ive always been active in supporting strike action and would strike again . This isnt about money but unfairness. Ive alway been active on organising picket lines and Ive been a NAPO member fot 21 years joining as a student. But how dare I put my point across .

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  15. Are any of you in a union ?

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  16. Utterly perplexed as to how you know what my caseload is made up of. Utterly.

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  17. If you're in the NPS it is likely to look like mine showing 145 on WMT . 92% HR sex or violence cases 20% with complex MH or PD issues almost all having CP concerns . Case load of 42 with 2 reports a week and DRR progress reports

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  18. I am but I forgot we are not supposed to criticise our negotiators !

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  19. What are you on 'patrol service'? ������

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  20. A non consolidated payment is not a pay rise, it is a bung, a bribe a way to keep us quiet. It does you good in the moment but is worthless from then on.

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  21. Now I may be a bit slow, but I have just realised that this 1% pay rise is being suggested/offered/imposed just as my NI contributions are to go up, by 1%. Co-incidence that. So another year of marking time for me.

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  22. I am older over 30 years continous service. I never reached the top but spent my working life in public service. So whats the problem.

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