Proposals were tabled by Angus Council before Christmas to change a number of the current terms and conditions for local government staff employed by them. We have subsequently been advised by Kirsty Hunter, Chief Executive, that she also now intends to propose the same changes to some of the terms and conditions of staff employed at ANGUSAlive.
We emailed all our ANGUSAlive members yesterday with the details and a link to a survey where you can anonymously share your views on the proposals. If you didn't get the email, plese let us know and we will end it again. Alternatively, the survey can be found by clicking the image below and is open until Tuesday 12 February 2019:
The proposals were reported to UNISON Angus as follows:
Background
A review of terms and conditions of employment for
Local Government Employees and Chief Officers has been carried out in light of
the ongoing requirement for the council to become more efficient and cost
effective whilst ensuring compliance with equal pay legislation and maintaining
equity and fairness. This paper details the current position and proposals in
the following areas :
- Working
arrangement allowances
- Designated
Public Holidays
- Excess
Travel
- Business
Travel
- Subsistence
- Salary
Protection
- Work
life balance and wellbeing.
Working Arrangement Allowances
Current Position
At present, if required to work on a public holiday
as part of the normal working week or if called out in excess of one hour an
employee will be paid double time for all hours worked. They will also be
given time off in lieu (TOIL) as follows:
- a
half day off if the time worked was up to half of their normal day;
- a
whole day off if the time worked was over half of their normal day.
Proposals
- If
required to work on a public holiday as part of the normal working week or
if called out in excess of one hour, an employee will be paid at double
time in complete recompense for all hours worked;
- TOIL
in relation to public holiday working will be an alternative to payment
(rather than in addition to enhanced rates);
- All
TOIL will be calculated on a basis equivalent to hours worked with no
enhancement (currently one hour overtime attracts 1.5 hours of TOIL);
- Time
of less than 30 minutes in any day will not rank as overtime (currently 15
minutes) and this will apply to all staff (UNISON Angus queried the current
situation and were advised that at present, time of less than 15 minutes
is paid as plain time);
- No
overtime will be claimed by LG12 and above. TOIL may be agreed in
exceptional circumstances (currently overtime may be approved following
submission of a report). To ensure consistency all requests must be dealt
with in conjunction with a nominated Senior HR Officer.
Designated Public holidays
Current Position
There are currently seven public holidays (pro rata
for part-time employees). These holidays are fixed by the council and advance
notice is given of when they fall each year.
Public holiday dates are currently :
1 and 2 January each year or if on a weekend the
next 2 working days thereafter;
The first Monday in April;
The first Monday in May;
30 November or the Friday following the 30 November
and;
Christmas Day and Boxing Day each year or if on a
weekend the next 2 working days thereafter.
Proposals
·
Reduce the number of public holidays
from 7 to 4 with the April, May and St Andrew’s day public holidays being
re-designated as annual leave (not public holidays) (UNISON
Angus queried the start date for this proposal should it be accepted -
the Council stated they would want to replace the St. Andrew’s Day
holiday with an annual leave day in 2019 in order to realise some savings. The
removal/replacement of the other 2 public holidays and proposed Christmas
closure wouldn’t start until January 2020);
·
The 3 designated days above to be taken
on the 3 working days between Christmas and New Year. (UNISON
Angus asked if there could be any individual variations to this proposal e.g.
if a member was able to work from home; the Council stated this would be highly
unlikely);
·
For some services it will not be
feasible to close between Christmas and New Year. It is therefore proposed that
feasibility is considered operationally and where necessary the three days
leave between Christmas and New Year is taken at another agreed time. (UNISON
Angus had clarification from the Council that the days could be taken at any
time as a 3 day block or individually, subject to the demands of the Council’s
service delivery).
Excess mileage
Current Position
Excess mileage is paid for a maximum of 2 years at
25p per mile. (Clarification has been sought by
UNISON Angus that the £5 weekly deduction would no longer be applied; we await
a response).
Proposal
·
Reduce excess mileage payments from 2
years to 1 year and the rate from 25p per mile to 12.6p per mile with effect
from 1 July 2019. This will apply to all staff who are required to change
base and who incur additional expense as a result. It is not anticipated
that this will impact on any particular groups more than others unless there
are proposals to relocate particular groups on a regular basis.
Subsistence
Current Position
The current rates are £6.50 for lunch and £20 for
evening meal.
Proposal
·
Realign subsistence allowances to
reflect agile working practices and HMRC rates, and only where costs have been
incurred on meals which would normally have been taken at home to:
Breakfast rate: up to £5, One-meal rate: up to £5 (5 hours absence), Two-meal
rate: up to £10 (10 hours absence) and Late Evening rate: up to £15).
Restrict to meals taken outwith Angus and Dundee City boundaries. (The
amount spent by members would be evidenced by the production of a receipt. The
inclusion of Dundee appears to be based on the number of meetings involving
Angus staff that take place there, but we have asked for further explanation
and clarification on the reasoning for including Dundee).
Salary Protection
Current Position
Salary protection following a reduction is provided
for 1 year.
Proposal
·
Reduce period of protection from 1 year
to 6 months for employees whose salary is reduced from 1 July 2019 onwards.
Work life Balance and Wellbeing Proposals
The following proposed enhanced and new provisions
will be developed further, in partnership with health, other colleagues and
trade union representatives. These are all aimed at supporting employees to
achieve the best work life balance for their own personal circumstances, to
allow them to support the communities they live and/or work in and to develop
professionally or personally in whatever they choose. Maintaining a healthy
workforce is beneficial to the council as well as employees and these
provisions would help to create a positive working environment and ensure our
employees feel valued. It is recognised that there will be indirect costs for
services if these proposals are agreed but it is also anticipated that there
would be significant benefits to employees, the council and local communities.
Health & Wellbeing/Family Support Options
- Review
of council’s managing absence provisions to emphasise supporting employees
at work and while absent and to include mental health and wellbeing
support.
- Supporting
employees who are carers through the agreed Carers Support at Work Scheme
(Human Resources lead). Continue implementation towards the highest
level of national Carers Positive accreditation.
- Bereavement
Leave (enhanced paid time off e.g. up to 5 days to support staff and
record bereavement leave rather than signed off on sick leave)
- Compassionate
Leave (up to 10 days paid leave - to support employees dealing with
major unplanned family situations and record leave for such purposes
rather than staff being signed off on sick leave)
- IVF/Fertility
Treatment (new paid leave to support one cycle)
Council/Community Support Options
- Employee
Supported Volunteering (ESV) – 2 days paid leave per year for employees to
volunteer in partnership with VAA or to support the council’s own services
- Foster/Kinship
Carer Leave – paid leave to support the different stages of the
foster/kinship process
- Guaranteed
Job Interview Scheme – extend to our employees who are carers (to remain
in employment), young carers, looked after children
- Emergency
Donation – blood/bone marrow/organ donation – released immediately for the
time required with pay.
- Sporting
Activities – new paid/unpaid time for competitor/manager/coach –
national and regional
Development in Work Options
- Framework
for Secondments – developing staff in all areas – more flexible workforce
- Framework
for Engaging Interns – supporting young people/students/those not in
employment
- Framework
for Engaging Modern Apprentices – as above
So, please do take a few minutes to complete the survey which will
inform and guide your union in responding to the Council’s proposals. Click the
link below or at the top of this email to get started:
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