PAY AND CONDITIONS - THE FACTS
·
"For almost two years" your
nationally elected representatives have been involved in negotiations about
"some radical changes to pay and conditions". (General Secretary's
Media Release of 17.12.2001).
·
Throughout that period
Bulletins have been issued giving the Members regular updates on pay and
conditions.
·
"These negotiations
were held up by the Home Office for almost 6 months. The Home Secretary then sidelined that agenda and imposed his
agenda on a ridiculously short time scale and is expecting us to negotiate
inferior terms and conditions. No group
of workers would be content with that". (General Secretary's Media Release
17.12.2001).
·
The Home Secretary produced
the "Outcomes Paper".
·
The Home Secretary advised
that he considers the issue to be of "serious national importance"
and, by use of those words, he can reject any decision of the Police
Arbitration Tribunal. (Bulletin 3/2001).
·
The Home Secretary has
stated that he will legislate to get the changes he wants. (Media coverage
2.12.2001).
·
The Home Secretary wants to
see "more flexible working arrangements and an end to restrictive
regulations". (House of Commons speech, 5.12.2001).
·
The Home Secretary has
stated that he wants to see that "those at the sharp end of public service
are rewarded for the difficult job they do." (House of Commons speech
5.12.2001)
·
You have been advised that
the enclosed "package is presented to you as the best that could be
negotiated within the time limits under which the PNB had to operate".
(General Secretary's enclosed paper).
The "package"
includes;
·
"Increasing the length
of the working week" from 40 to 42 hours. (Bulletin 5/2001).
·
Reducing the rates for
working overtime on a working day.
·
Reducing the rates for
working on a weekly rest day.
·
Reducing the rates for working
on a public holiday. (equates to potential losses - Constable 2 year's service
£402 per annum, Senior Constable £537 per annum, Senior Sergeant of £605 per
annum).
·
Reducing the threshold for
triggering the higher rate of compensation for working a weekly rest day from
eight days to five days.
·
Abolition of Plain Clothes
Allowance.
·
Abolition of Removal
Allowance.
·
Abolition of Subsistence,
Refreshment and Lodging Allowances.
·
Abolition of Gratuity for
Searching or Fingerprinting Badly Decomposed Bodies.
·
Detrimental Alteration to
Sick Pay Provisions.
·
"Inferior arrangements
relating to ill-health pensions". (Bulletin 5/2001).
·
THIS JOINT BRANCH BOARD WAS
AT THE FOREFRONT IN ENSURING THE FULLEST CONSULTATION ON ANY "AGREEMENT"
REACHED.
THE BOARD'S OBLIGATION IS
TO THE COLLECTIVE MEMBERSHIP AND, WHILST ACKNOWLEDGING THE POTENTIAL FOR FINANCIAL GAIN FOR SOME MEMBERS, AND VIGOROUSLY DEFENDING THE
RIGHT OF INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS TO DECIDE, WE RECOMMEND THE "PACKAGE"
SHOULD BE "REJECTED".
JOHN B FINNIE
JBB Secretary
9th January 2002
