Shropshire Council and UNISON close to deal

The meeting sought an agreement on changes to terms and conditions of employment, which were introduced for all staff on 1 October 2011.

Shropshire Council say the conversation was amicable and positive with common ground found to enable quick action by UNISON to find out whether its members will accept the council’s improved offer.

Similar meetings have been arranged also been arranged by the council in the next few days to speak to the GMB and UNITE trade unions to hear the views of their members on the council’s revised offer. The council’s desired position is a full agreement from all trade unions on the way forward, and this is now a real possibility in the next few weeks.

Councillor Keith Barrow, leader of Shropshire Council said:

“Nobody wants to reduce staff wages, but the financial pressures on the council are so massive that we have been left with no other option in the short term. But I made a promise to staff that we would continue to work hard to try to reduce the effects of the pay reduction next year, and we will stick to this. I am pleased to say that we have managed to bring an improved offer to the table, in response to what staff are saying they want to see.

“It is really helpful that there is strong agreement between us and the trade unions on the desire to work through these matters and move on as quickly as possible. We know there are major changes still facing the council over the next few years and we are eager to tackle these together, positively, with no baggage from the past.

“The council continues to be flexible in finding solutions and we have reached a point where we think what is on offer is a much improved deal that can be recommended to our staff.

“We do appreciate that this still requires sacrifices from them in the short term, in response to the unprecedented financial pressures, and we are grateful to our hard working staff for their commitment to continuing to deliver good public services to the people of Shropshire.”

Alan James, branch secretary for Shropshire UNISON said:

“Today’s meeting has been constructive and I believe we are now in a position where we have a better offer to recommend to our members. I feel we are as close to having the best deal that we can get at this time, and we have a firm and genuine commitment from the council about how we might go on to improve on that offer for next year.

“This has only been possible because UNISON has been clear about what its members would find acceptable, in our aim to protect their best interests.”

The council’s revised offer as at 18 October 2011

• An additional two days paid leave (pro-rata for part-time staff) for all staff on Spinal Column Points 10 and above (as they are receiving a 2.7% pay cut this year), as a one-off benefit in 2011, with leave being taken on 29 and 30 December.

• The rate for the reimbursement of business travel will be raised from 40p to 45p with effect from 1 January 2012, but will be paid retrospectively on April 2012.

• A joint council and trade union absence review group will begin work immediately on the review of the sickness absence pay policy introduced on 1 October 2011. The terms of reference for the group to be jointly agreed by the trade unions and the council, and a joint paper to be produced by January 2012 on the findings of the review.

• The second phase of the pay reduction (2.7%), effective from 1 October 2012, will be partially off-set by providing an additional two days leave (pro rata) to all staff on Spinal Column Points 10 and above.

• Timetabled meetings will be held with the trade unions to identify alternative savings, by no later than February 2012, which will ensure the pay reduction is no greater than 1.9%, and less than this, if possible.

* The extra cost of this backdating (£75,000) to be found by the council in its 2012-2013 budget.