Inverclyde Council Proposed Pay And Grading Model- Members Ballot

Local Government Members will have received a consultative ballot paper with an explanation booklet asking whether you agree or disagree to the changes. UNISON Inverclyde believes that this new pay model is long overdue, that it restores previous pay differentials at the lower end of the scales and it delivers faster incremental progression across all of the pay grades. It is for these reasons that we are encouraging members to support the proposals. It is important to understand that UNISON cannot agree to a change in the pay and grading model unless members vote to do so in this ballot.

Please return your ballot paper in the pre paid envelope provided before Wednesday 5th December.

Background

· Over the past few years Inverclyde Council workers’ pay has become stagnated. This was due in the main to a freezing of public sector pay and a below inflation pay award of 1% in April 2017. During the same period, and in an attempt to address in work poverty, Inverclyde Council adopted the Scottish living wage (SLW) and continued to do so as the SLW rate increased.

· By November 2017 the SLW had increased to £8.75 per hour, higher than all of the hourly rates in grades A, B, C and the first point in grade D. Given the range of posts within these grades and the different levels of responsibilities, it was not an acceptable position. UNISON therefore sought a solution to restore previous pay differentials.

The New Model

• Going forward there was a collective commitment to retain the SLW as the minimum base rate of pay. The new grade 1 is a single increment grade of £8.75 (the attach grade chart is based on rates of pay as at 1st April 2017. The SLW was £8.51 in April 2017 but increased to £8.75 in November 2017 and the increased rate was adopted by the Council).

• Grade 2 is the new grade that existing employees on grade C will be transferred to. We expect the Council to agree to UNISON’s request to match all existing employees to the higher point of £9.15 per hour which is an increase of £0.40 per hour. This is due to these employees being the most disadvantaged in the past due to the removal of pay differentials.

• All existing employees currently in grade D will transfer to the new grade 3. This will result in an increase in the hourly rates for all existing grade D employees.

• All other grades have changed so as to ensure that no grade has more than four increments. This will reduce the period of time it takes for employees to progress through the incremental scales.
Future Pay Awards

• All rates on the grading chart are based on the applicable rates as at 1st April 2017. UNISON is currently balloting all members working for local government in Scotland on whether to accept the pay offer from CoSLA for 2018/19. Whenever a pay award for 2018/2019 is agreed, these rates will increase accordingly.

Your workplace steward will able to answer any queries that you may have.