BBW DWP ballot result

PCS members have voted overwhelmingly to accept this year's negotiated pay award which will see staff receiving between 2% – 3.5% pay increases and an agreement to pay the Living Wage in our Service Centres.

Payments of the rise including backdated monies will be made in the December wage. We realise that this is some time away but we have been asked by BBW to allow them to bed in their new computerised system (Oracle) before processing the rise.

It is worth reminding our members that the non negotiated staff only got a 1% rise at start of 2012 and that the increased percentage we achieved was due to the negotiation skills of the PCS Pay Team.

PCS are seriously going to look at only negotiating pay increases for staff who are fully paid up members of PCS next year.

With this in mind PCS are asking all our members to speak to non members in your workplace and explain that PCS is serious about only negotiating on pay for members of the union in future negotiations and ask them to join us and fill out the membership form that is attached to this briefing. These can then be returned to your local rep or sent to the freepost address on the application.

The details of the award can be found here.

BBW DWP - PCS Negotiated Pay Award 2012

Distribution: All BBW Staff.

We are pleased to confirm that the 2012 pay offer has been unanimously accepted by members of our recognised union, Public and Commercial Services (PCS). We will therefore be planning to apply the award to employees covered by the negotiations within the bargaining unit.

The economic climate remains difficult and this has presented a challenging year so far for BB WorkPlace in reaching the targeted performance level as a business overall. Business Services is delivering well against expectations and we are therefore pleased to confirm that we are able to offer a pay award to employees under the negotiated agreement, which has now been accepted by PCS members.

2012 Pay Award – in Summary

• Service Centre employees within the bargaining unit will receive an uplift to Living Wage levels of £7.20 per hour if currently receiving a lower hourly rate. This continues with our ongoing aim to further increase minimum pay levels.
• All other employees with receive a 2% salary increase or minimum payment of £325 per annum (based on working full-time hours), whichever is higher. Employees working part-time will receive a pro-rated award.
• Revised maximum salaries for the categories are put in place above which a non consolidated award is made.
• Revised minimum salaries for all role categories are put in place.
• Employees who currently earn above the ‘maximum’ for the category will receive a non-consolidated increase. This means it is not added to basic salary but instead is agreed to be paid as a lump sum equivalent at the point of implementation. (Please note that should an employee leave before the 12 month point after this has been applied, a pro-rated amount will be recovered from the final salary).

Please note that all figures stated are gross amounts and subject to tax and NI deductions.

Scope and Timings for Payment  

• The award applies to all employees covered by collective bargaining for pay under the agreement with PCS Union for the BB WorkPlace DWP Office Services contract.
• The 2012 Pay Review will be applied, including backdates, within the December 2012 salary payment. Individual letters will be issued to individuals affected by the review.
• Further detail, by category, of the 2012 pay award is detailed within the attached Appendix to this document.
• If you have any queries please contact your line manager in the first instance who will liaise with the HR department as appropriate.

Thank you for your continued support during the year as we continue to evolve our structure and services to support the requirements of our customer, DWP.

Appendix: Pay Review 2012

Employee Categories

Field	Service Centres	Team Manager & Supervisory	Contract Administration
Cleaning Operative Courier Driver Indexing Agent Mobile OSA OSA Postal Services roles (including postal supervisors & LOSA) Reprographics Clerk Stationery Clerk Indexing Agent	Service Centre – Typist Service Centre – Switchboard	Cleaning Supervisor Reprographics Supervisor Stationery Supervisor Team Manager Production Manager	Union Representative (100%) (Regional) Administrators PA / Secretary HR Assistant Workflow Coordinator

Agreed Pay Offer

1)    Establish revised minimum and maximum basic salaries:

£ FTE, per annum	Minimum	Maximum
Field	13,125 (revised for 2012)	18,564 (revised for 2012)
Team Manager & Supervisory	14,650 (revised for 2012)	25,908 (revised for 2012)
Contract Administration	15,336 (new for 2012)	23,970 (new for 2012)
Switchboard	14,040 (revised for 2012)	18,870 (revised for 2012)
Typist	14,040 (revised for 2012)	19,482 (revised for 2012)

2) Pay Award for each area:

 

Option	Field	Team Manager & Supervisory	Contract Administration	Switchboard	Typist
Minimum	13,125	14,650	15,336	14,040	14,040
Maximum	18,564	25,908	23,970	18,870	19,482
% Award All	2%	2%	2%	2%	2%
£ lump sum underpin	£325 pa FTE	£325 pa FTE	£325 pa FTE	£325 pa FTE	£325 pa FTE

Narrative: Individuals will receive a 2% salary increase or minimum payment of £325 per annum (FTE), whichever is higher.

Concern over safety law changes

A government amendment to the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill would water down health and safety regulations across the board, according to personal injury expert Karl Tonks. The president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) said: 'At the moment, where an employer has been found to have breached health and safety regulations and someone has been injured as a result, the injured person has an automatic right to claim compensation. The law has been clear on this point since a landmark case was brought in 1898. But the government is now seeking changes which will mean the injured person will no longer be able to rely on this right, but will have effectively to start from scratch by proving that negligence has occurred.' He said the 'completely illogical' move reflected a government 'obsession' with cutting safety regulation that 'also sends a clear signal to bosses that the safety of workers is no longer to be considered a priority.' Speaking in the Commons debate on the Bill, where the measure was condemned by opposition MPs, Labour's Iain Wright said the government belief the move would boost the economy was 'economically illiterate.' Commenting after the debate, a TUC spokesperson said: 'This proposal was introduced with no consultation and there is no indication of what regulations the civil liability changes will apply to, but it is a disgrace that they are transferring the cost of an injury from the employer on to the worker, who will already have suffered the pain and suffering.' In another amendment to the Bill, the government is seeking changes to the law that would dramatically undermine the rights of workplace safety whistleblowers.

To ALL Travelling on the Preston NUT charter train on October 20th

The following has been provided by Pete Middleman, PCS NW Regional Secretary:

It is with great regret that I have to inform you that the 20^th October “A future that works” train chartered by the NUT from Preston (calling at Wigan and Warrington) has been cancelled at short notice.

This is entirely the fault of the locomotive supplier, DB Schenker, who have been unable to secure sufficient drivers.  The Train Chartering Co Ltd, advised the NUT of this problem yesterday afternoon which prompted a round of in-depth and high level negotiations about alternative arrangements, sadly without success.

These matters are beyond the control of PCS but I feel I must apologise sincerely for the inconvenience it will no doubt cause.

At this stage it is impossible to do anything other than to advise those who were registered with us to travel on those services that they may wish to consider making alternative arrangements.

Members can purchase their own tickets on scheduled train services operated by Virgin Trains or examine the possibility of travelling by coach. Details of coach transport from the region can be found here.

We will reimburse such claims in the normal manner on the condition that you reply to this email to confirm your intention to do so and provide the names of those you are to purchase tickets for*.

Members who chose to do this should be warned however that Saturday morning train services from the north west to London are likely to be extremely busy and we can not be responsible for a lack of seat reservations or for passengers being refused travel by Virgin staff owing to overcrowded trains.

Once again, please accept our apologies for this unsatisfactory turn of events.  We hope as many of you as possible are still able to join us.

*Individual claims will only be met for members and/or family members who were registered with us for travel on the affected NUT Charter trains at the date of this message and the usual PCS Travel and Subsistence rules apply

NW TUC Charter for Young People

Sign the North West TUC's Charter for young people!

A future that works for young people.

A North West TUC Charter to tackle youth unemployment in the region

Young people face a crisis.Austerity and recession are destroying employment opportunities all over the region.

More than 64,000 young people, aged 18-24, are now out of work in the North West.

With one in five young people jobless, many are being forced to take unskilled, parttime, temporary work, unpaid internships or work experience. Others simply become detached from society.

Meanwhile, the abolition of the Educational Maintenance Allowance and increases in tuition fees are preventing thousands from gaining qualifications and new skills for the job market.

Urgent action must be taken to give the young people of the North West a future that works.

Taking positive action to help our young people will demand commitment,determination and real resources from Government, employers and trade unions.

The North West TUC pledges to play its part. We urge MPs, local councillors, employers and others to sign this Charter – and pledge to take practical and immediate action to give young people a future that works.

You can find and print the petition/charter here. Please return printed and signed sheets to:

Katya Lawder
 Room C122A, Lobby D
Warbreck House.

Alternatively, you can sign the online form here.

European H&S Week Stalls

The Branch have organised H&S stalls with various pieces of workplace health, safety and welfare information for members in line with European Health and Safety week.

They will be as follows:

Norcross

Block 5 Canteen,

Monday 22nd October 2012

11.45 am to 13.30 pm

Tomlinson House (Tommy’s) Canteen

Thursday 25th October 2012

11.45 am to 13.30 pm

Warbreck House

Inside Warbreck Canteen

Tuesday 23rd October 2012

11.45 am to 13:30 pm

Peel Park

Deli Bar - Phase 2

Thursday 25th October 2012

Government wants workers to give up their rights

The following has been supplied by the TUC:

Unions have angrily attacked government plans to use employee ownership schemes to encourage workers to give up hard won employment rights. Chancellor George Osborne told this week's Conservative Party conference businesses will be allowed to remove 'gold-plated employment rights' in exchange for handing out shares to employees. The £100m 'employee-owner' scheme will allow employees to received tax-exempt shares worth £2,000 to £50,000 if they give up their rights to claim unfair dismissal and redundancy. They would also have to sacrifice the right to request flexible working and time off for training, and would be required to provide 16 weeks' notice of a firm date of return from maternity leave, instead of the usual eight. TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said the measure 'looks more to be said for effect, than because it will make much difference', but added: 'We deplore any attack on maternity provision or protection against unfair dismissal, but these complex proposals do not look as if they will have very much impact as few small businesses will want to tie themselves up in the tangle of red tape necessary to trigger these exemptions.' Paul Kenny, GMB general secretary, said: 'Slashing people's employment rights under the guise of ownership schemes won't create jobs and it won't create growth,' adding: 'George Osborne has as much knowledge about economics as a stick of rhubarb.' In conference and fringe meeting speeches, ministers including Eric Pickles and Francis Maude also said they would cut dramatically the facilities time available to civil servants. Unions said the move 'makes no sense', as unions have been shown to deliver a massive cost saving by providing a well-organised negotiating structure for employers, reducing costly legal proceedings and by dramatically reducing lost time related to work-related injuries and illnesses by delivering safer workplaces. The prime minister, in a throw away sound bite in his conference speech, said he wanted he wanted 'less nonsense about health and safety.' Bereaved relatives group FACK responded: 'As the families of people who went to work hard to provide for their families, but never came home, we know that treating health and safety as 'nonsense' is deadly.'

Unions condemn unfair dismissal changes

The following has been supplied by the TUC:

Government plans to reduce payouts for unfair dismissals will do nothing to boost economic growth and make it easier for bad employers to mistreat their staff, unions have warned. Under the changes announced this week by business secretary Vince Cable the cap on payouts for unfair dismissal will fall from £72,300 to a year's pay. TUC general secretary Brendan Barber responded that 'reducing payouts for unfair dismissals will let bad employers off lightly and deter victims from pursuing genuine cases. This will feel like another slap in the face following the government's decision to bring in fees for employment tribunals.' STUC general secretary Grahame Smith said: 'These moves by Vince Cable, the business secretary, would tend to suggest he has abandoned his principles and previously held views on there being no need for further deregulation of our labour market.' He added: 'His department is presiding over the most savage cuts in employment protection we have witnessed since the previous Conservative government while, at the same time, the Department of Work and Pensions is slashing health and safety regulation and attacking the effectiveness of HSE [the Health and Safety Executive] to enforce the legislation and protect workers.' The government changed the law earlier this year to increase to two years the service requirement to claim unfair dismissal. In April 2013 the government will introduce charges for access to tribunals, which unions believe will further discourage safety whistleblowers. Workers claiming victimisation after raising safety concerns fall into the top £1,200 fee bracket for taking an unfair dismissal claim.

IOSH tells parties to end safety 'distortion'

The following has been supplied by the TUC:

Politicians have been urged to quit 'distorting perceptions' of workplace health and safety - or risk lives. At the start of the political party conference season last week, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) called for a shift in the way the 'political elite' talk about protecting people at work. The safety professionals' body said the toll of deaths, diseases and injuries related to work was 'too high', and 'government should do more to drive them down.' Prime Minister David Cameron and business secretary Vince Cable are among Conservative and LibDem ministers that have railed against safety 'burdens' this year, and responded with deregulatory measures. IOSH head of policy and public affairs Richard Jones said: 'Government should champion the benefits of good health and safety regulation, instead of dismissing it as a 'burden' on business. IOSH supports streamlining and simplification, but not the lowering of standards. Good health and safety saves lives, supports business and sustains the economy.' He added: 'We hope people will get the message. Playing to the gallery and distorting the perception of health and safety may score political points for some, but it could end up costing lives and damaging the economy.' Signs that the political capital from attacking safety might be wearing thin came this week when the previously safety-cynical London Evening Standard carried a lengthy article noting: 'Safer businesses are more productive, not least because of the management time taken up when some poor sod has to be scraped off the floor. And let's not forget inspections focus on occupational health as well, meaning employees have more chance of working without developing illnesses.' It concluded: 'Brutal economics has already seen a real-terms hit to wages for most of us. Now the coalition is coming after life and limb as well.'

Assessor 'forced to judge disabled fit for work'

The following has been supplied by the TUC:

A former nurse who was employed by the Department for Work and Pensions' outsourced capability assessor Atos has claimed she was forced to manipulate tests so that disabled people were deemed fit for work. Glasgow's Daily Record reports that Joyce Drummond alleged she was warned by the French-owned firm she was being "too nice" to claimants. She said candidates were considered more able to work if they arrived for their interview with brushed hair, had a toddler with them, or wore make-up. Ms Drummond, a former staff nurse at Glasgow's Southern General Hospital, said bosses ignored her 20 years of medical experience. She told the paper: 'People trusted me and they confided in me. I felt I was having to stab them in the back.' Anyone who claims the successor to incapacity benefit, employment and support allowance (ESA), because they are too sick or disabled to work must pass a work capability test, designed by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) but conducted by one of Atos' 1,400 staff. The company has £3.1bn of government contracts. Ms Drummond, who resigned from the company three-and-a-half years ago, said: 'If a woman was wearing make-up and was nicely dressed, she was deemed as functioning and capable. If someone came in with a toddler in tow, if they could manage a child, they could surely work. If someone had a pet, they were able to function and if they smiled while talking about a pet, I had to mark down that they smiled spontaneously and were therefore not depressed.' A recent investigation by The Independent revealed that more than 40 doctors and nurses working for Atos have been reported to medical regulators for professional misconduct.

Health at risk as watchdogs are neutered

The following has been supplied by the TUC:

The effective enforcement of workplace health standards is being undermined by government cost-cutting measures packaged as recession-busting cost-benefit calculations, a new independent report has concluded. Regulating Scotland, a detailed Stirling University analysis of environmental and workplace health and safety enforcement trends, warns that ideology rather than evidence is behind cuts in enforcement agencies including the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It says this has led to a dramatic decrease in official inspections and enforcement of both environmental and workplace safety standards. The report warns that workplace health and safety inspections across the UK are now so infrequent it is unlikely most workers will ever encounter an inspector in a working lifetime. It is also critical of 'better regulation' policies, which it says have pulled the teeth of the watchdogs charged with protecting workers, communities and the environment. The report notes that the 'burdens on business' case used to justify the hands-off deregulatory approach is based on 'skewed' cost-benefit calculations that fail to factor in the much greater financial benefits of proper enforcement of regulations. Report author Professor Andrew Watterson said: 'Failure to act now to improve poor regulation and enforcement elevates a spurious business costs argument above a real and substantial cost to human health, society and the public purse.' The report warns that a lack of official oversight of safety and environmental standards could lead to a process of 'regulatory capture', where largely absent and resource-starved enforcing agencies are reliant on self-regulation by companies, trusted to monitor and report on their own performance. It says this process was implicated in the Piper Alpha and Deepwater Horizon disasters.

Tories back dangerous boss

The following has been supplied by the TUC:

An employer whose criminal neglect left his workers at risk of serious occupational disease is being presented by the Conservatives as a champion of their safety deregulation plans. At prime minister's questions on 12 September, Tory MP Chris Kelly asked the prime minister if he agreed 'with Kevin O'Toole, the managing director of Eurocraft Enclosures Ltd in Dudley, who contacted me about the government's plans to sweep away unnecessary health and safety red tape to say: 'At last years and years of regulation are being replaced by a simple concept called common sense'?' Chris Kelly added: 'Is it not common sense to remove the headache of inspections for low-risk businesses?' Prime minister David Cameron said the MP was 'absolutely right' to highlight the issue. UNISON, though, was unimpressed. The public sector union points out that less than a year before the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) had served Eurocraft Enclosures Ltd with an improvement notice for three criminal breaches of safety law. The employer had failed to eliminate or control the risk to employees from hand-arm vibration. Vibration exposure of this type can cause serious and permanent occupational disease. According to UNISON: 'As demonstrated by Eurocraft Enclosures Ltd, we cannot rely on common sense to ensure that employees are kept healthy and safe at work. If you believe that everyone should be able to work without having their health damaged by their job, join UNISON in defending against the government's attack on health and safety inspections and legislation.'