Anger over Job Evaluation outcomes

A pretty testing week for your team of Officials, as we went about our usual eclectic mix of activities which, for my part included a trip to visit members in Sheffield and Rotherham along with Ranjit on Tuesday, as part of the engagement strategy. Here we were pleased to have the opportunity to explain the many issues that we are trying to simultaneously grapple with, and our objectives using the parliamentary process as well as engagement to try and force the pace in key areas such as pay and grading and workload relief and explain the complexities of the current E3 programme and, while were there, to see at first hand the layout of the Sodexo owned CRC and the by now infamous ‘booths’. We also spent time talking about how Napo is developing despite the horrendous time that our members have and are going through and we were pleased with the warm reception but rightly testing questions that we tried to answer. Thanks to all of you who came along.

On the subject of the Sodexo ‘Diners Club’, Ranjit has just issued a Sodexo members newsletter (click here) which says it all on this controversial issue, and some other subjects that are actually just as relevant to things that are going on operationally across the whole CRC landscape, notably in terms of our stress survey and the impact that high workloads are having on staff.

On Wednesday I was pleased to be able to attend the meeting of our National Representatives Panel who considered a range of important legal and policy developments which impact on their vital work for our members in difficulty. This is a service that is unparalleled in any other trade union that I have worked in, or seen elsewhere, and it’s one of those traditional parts of Napo that has served our members well and will continue to do so. I commend their work and commitment.

Next stop, one of our regular Trade Union Engagement meetings with NOMS where we had some at times fascinating as well as occasionally spikey exchanges about the intended implementation Plan for the emerging NPS Operating Model which has largely been informed by the work that has been carried out on the E3 project, which as I have said before, has involved some seriously valuable input from our members at the engagement events and in the job evaluation panels.

Cake and eat it?

If ever there was a clearer demonstration of the disrepair of the probation pay system when considering the recent Job Evaluation outcomes, then I have yet to see it.

The news that the VLO grade evaluation turned out at Band 3 has caused apoplexy among many of our members and as you would expect we will be issuing urgent advice to them early next week, once we have had a chance to digest  the rationale.

Likewise we struggle to see how AP administrative staff can score at Band 2 and not 3 but the news that the AP manager and AP Area Manager roles both emerged from the exercise at Band 6, has caused some ruffles in NOMS high command for sure.

That’s not to say I am blaming them for the above outcomes as none of the senior people we see are actually on the panels, but the fact is that they are presiding over a pay and grading system that is no longer fit for purpose and which fails to properly capture and accurately reflect the inherent complexities of your work and, just as importantly, the direct impact that Transforming Rehabilitation has caused in so many areas of NPS operations.

Whilst we await the formal minute of what was discussed and work on our advice to members, I will have to leave it there for now; but suffice to say that we made our views very clear as to how we might emerge from the mess that is the pay banding system, and I hope that we will see an early move towards presenting the unions with a Change Agreement for the implementation of the E3 programme.

Racial Bias in the Criminal Justice System

Just to remind you of the fact that some weeks ago I wrote to David Lammy MP who was asked to undertake a review on this important subject by David Cameron, and who has responded to me in this letter (click here).

This is good news and means that we will have hopefully more than one opportunity to have valuable input into his review where our members experiences will be well received I am sure. More news once it becomes available.

Finally, and on the issue of diversity in general, we are living in especially fraught times in terms of respecting other people’s cultures and social backgrounds. The refugee crisis in Europe, the manifestation of right wing political parties in Britain who masquerade as being respectable, and from many thousands of miles away across the ‘Pond’, blatantly racist utterances from a candidate who aspires to hold the most powerful political position in the western world.

All this can and no doubt does sometimes impact on the attitudes of some of the clients you are trying to help, but it is nevertheless unacceptable. And your employer has a responsibility to do their best protect you from exposure to such views.

Any member who feels that this is not happening should seek advice immediately. It’s another reason for being in a trade union, especially one with such principles as you will find in Napo.