As all our members in probation will know only too well, Transforming Rehabilitation resulted in many changes for individuals. One such example was that the arrangements that sessional workers had with the former Probation Trusts came to an end from 31 May 2014. NOMS then offered new sessional engagements to those who wanted to continue to undertake this work in the NPS.
Some time ago NOMS, and a number of CRC employers, signalled their wish to reform the current National Negotiating Council (NNC) and Standing Committee for Chief Officer Grades (SCCOG) machinery.
Just how seriously we have been taking our work in the ongoing discussions between NOMS And the trade unions on the appealed E3 Job evaluations has been demonstrated by the sheer effort and staying power of all those involved in the long pre-appeal sessions that have taken place over the last seven days.
A 30 minute break from what is as I expected, a testing but extremely thorough E3 Job Evaluation meeting with senior NOMS management, gives me an opportunity to bury any notion that Napo has entered the appeal mechanism having already decided what the results of the job evaluation panels (that I wrote about last week) are going to be.
Our introductory meeting on Tuesday with Liz Truss the new Secretary of State for Justice and Sam Gyimah, the Probations and Prisons Minister, turned out to be a very positive exchange. Despite a tight timescale, the probation unions offered a highly effective briefing which featured some excellent contributions from Yvonne Pattison and Tania Bassett about the key issues impacting on our members in the CRCs and NPS.
In terms of political frenzy it’s been pretty much more of the same whilst I was away on a short break.
The end of another adrenalin fuelled week where I have traversed a good portion of England engaging with members, employers and probation stakeholders.
If last weeks post-Brexit vote developments represented a political earthquake, then the aftershocks have followed in huge waves over the ensuing days.
There is too much going on to even start to offer any rational commentary on the classic Tory backstabbing that has seen Justice Secretary Michael Gove emerge as one of the frontrunners for the party leadership, but the speculation is that whatever the result he will not be seen around 102 Petty France Street for much longer.
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“See EU later David”, is about the only bit of humour that I can muster this morning after what is probably the most seismic shift in British politics that I have witnessed in my lifetime, and no doubt there will be many of our members who share that view. |
Hatred is the real enemy
In a week that started with another mass killing in the USA linked to homophobia, and which included another series of indiscriminate bomb attacks in Turkey and, yesterday, the dreadful murder of Jo Cox MP, it’s a little difficult to focus on the usual issues.
As you would expect, given the support that Jo Cox showed to Napo members in a number of Parliamentary debates I have issued a general statement of tribute as well as a more personal message to Jo's family.
