A long weekend of industrial action involving all PCS members is taking place from 5th to 8th April 2013.
All
union members in the DWP will show their anger at the Government by taking part
in a strike starting at 1pm
on 5 April to defend our pay, pensions, and terms and conditions. The
government refuses to sit down and negotiate, so we must act. The latest action
will build the pressure on the government after the tremendous success of the
national PCS strike on budget day.
Strike action on Friday afternoon will cause enormous disruption for the DWP.
The
sight of union members collectively walking out together is a powerful image,
it sends a strong message to the DWP and the Government, it builds solidarity
among union members and sets an example to non members.
The
vast majority of members in the DWP will walk out at 1pm. There are some exceptions. For example
members scheduled to work on a rota or a shift finishing for example at 6pm or 8pm should calculate 3 hours 42 minutes back from the end
of their shift and walk out at that time.
Members
in contact centres on the phone at 1pm should end the call in the same way they
would at the end of a shift, by telling the caller at the beginning of the call
that they are only available until 1pm. Members in jobcentres dealing with
appointments starting shortly before 1pm should also tell the customers that
they are only available until 1pm.
Detailed
guidance about these issues is in the April FAQ’s Guide on the PCS website here.
The impact of Friday 5
April on members pay
The
DWP have published HR guidance on deductions from pay. It says – “A half day
walkout is classed as unauthorised absence and an appropriate pay deduction
must be made for any employee that takes part. On this occasion the pay
deduction should be half of the net contracted hours for the day. This is the
same for both full and part time staff. The half day deduction is regardless of
the hours already worked on the day.”
This
guidance contradicts longstanding policy which indicates that the department
should revert to conditioned hours and deduction of pay should be calculated
from, “the time the unauthorised absence commenced until the time the employee
was contracted to finish work.”
The
Group Executive Committee (GEC) has raised concerns about this with the DWP who
have responded that this longstanding policy is only guidance not legislation
and that it is in their view out of date because there are now so many
different working patterns.
The
GEC will pursue these concerns with the DWP.
The impact of the guidance published so far by the DWP is set out
below –
Members
should flex on when they arrive. Go on strike at 1.00 and input a 3.42 credit
for the afternoon. They will lose 3.42 pay. For example -
- Flex on 8.00 am - 1.00 am = 5 hours credit
- 1.00 - 4.42 on strike = 3.42 hours credit
- Total credit = 8.42
- Loss of pay = 3.42 hours
- Members working for example till 6pm or 8pm should walkout 3.42 before their finish time and enter a 3.42 credit. They will lose 3.42 pay.
The
GEC has raised particular concerns about the impact on pay for part time
working members working on 5 April but due to leave shortly after 1pm. It is clearly unfair for example
if staff due to start at 8am and work till 2pm who walkout out at 1pm then lose
half a days pay (3 hours) when they are in fact only on strike for 1 hour and
could only get a 1 hour flexi credit.
DWP
have agreed to look at our concerns and the GEC will issue any further guidance
as it becomes available.
DON’T
FORGET THE OVERTIME BAN THAT RUNS UNTIL 20th JUNE 2013
