There has been a request from Unite and some of the Departmental Representatives to discuss the Council’s proposed pay award.
Minutes:
Ms Smith stated that it was not just the matter of ‘pay’ per se that the Union wanted to discuss, but other related matters like leave entitlement and redundancy payments. She expressed disappointment that requests for extra leave had been rejected.
Ms Smith stated that the level of redundancy payments in LB Croydon was double that of LB Bromley. She asked if this matter that could be looked into.
Concerning the main pay award, Ms Smith argued that a 1.2% pay increase was still a pay cut in real terms, and that the National Pay Agreement had not been finalised. Councillor Carr and the Director of Human Resources stated that the National Agreement had been settled for a two year period-2016-2018. The Chairman felt that the 1.2% award evidenced a positive attitude to staff, and that it had to be borne in mind that a limited amount of money was available. He stated that Unite’s pay claim would cost the Council £4m which it could not afford.
There was a brief discussion concerning statutory holidays and concessionary days. It was asked if the ‘concessionary day’ could be taken by staff in a more flexible manner, and the Director of Human Resources responded that this was a matter that he would investigate.
At a previous point in the meeting, Ms Smith had stated that the Director of Human Resources no longer met with her. The Director of Human Resources refuted these comments, and assured that he still met with the Union to discuss pay and also met with them at any other meetings that were a statutory requirement.
The Director of Human Resources informed the LJCC that a report had gone to the GP&L Committee regarding the Council’s proposed pay award. A response had been requested from all three of the unions, but only Unison had provided a formal response.
The Director of Human Resources reminded Unite that if they wanted matters to be discussed on the LJCC agenda, then they should submit a report or more written information in advance of the meeting. This would then clarify the specifics of the matter to be discussed, as well as giving Officers the chance to look into issues and provide a response. Ms Smith responded that she required more time to write reports, and that it was not realistic that she be expected to write reports when she was only allocated two hours of facility time per week. Ms Slater commented that the lack of facility time was unfair. She asserted that the Departmental Representatives had the privilege of time off in lieu which was not afforded to the union representatives. The Director of Human Resources countered this by stating that union representatives were given adequate facility time.
Councillor Fawthrop advocated the use of flexible working as much as possible. The Director of Human Resources confirmed that flexible working arrangements were already in place.
Councillor Wilkins referred to the problems of recruiting and retaining staff, and suggested that a report be drafted on comparable pay. Similarly it was also suggested that the matter of redundancy pay be added as an agenda item for the next agenda. Although this was suggested, there was not a formal resolution to this effect.