For some time now we have been highlighting the appalling impact of the government pay freeze and the lack of cash to support the Probation pay agreement that dates back to 2008. I was not involved in those negotiations which were concluded just before I was appointed as AGS.
True to the run of political surprises that have occurred across Europe and America over the past year or so we now have a Hung Parliament.
The current halt to Parliamentary proceedings means that we must await the installation of a new Government to discover when the recommendations from the Probation Service review will see the light of day.
This week saw the return of terrorism to Britain in the horrendous atrocity at the Manchester Arena. At the time of writing it appears that no Napo members or their families were caught up in this terrible event, but nevertheless I expect that all of us will have shared the usual range of emotions that follow such senseless acts of futile violence in a variety of forms which we have seen take place regularly across Europe, America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the pan-Pacific region..
The Probation Negotiating Committee met yesterday to look at a range of issues, and their valuable input into the life and fabric of this union is an important element of the leadership’s valued partnership with Napo's elected representatives.
Their decisions and recommendations will feature in the reports that are submitted to the National Executive Committee (NEC), who will themselves be busy next month. The NEC have a reconvened meeting which will follow the Napo Pay Forum on 6th June as well as their already scheduled meeting on 22nd June.
As we always have to make clear when approaching the mainstream political parties at General Elections, Napo is an independent Trade Union and Professional Association whose constitution prevents us aligning ourselves with any political party.
That said, we are entitled to ask important questions of those who seek to govern us and thats why we have finalised our 'Manifesto Asks' this week. This has gone across to the various political strategists in the hope that their responses will help our members to decide which party will do most to address the issues that matter.
Staff working in the NPS below their band maxima will receive their contractual increment in this month’s pay HMPPS confirmed this week.
The NPS have said payments will be paid earlier than has previously been the case to avoid any complications with tax, NI and pension contributions that may arise from back-payments if the increment was delayed and included in 2017-18 pay negotiations.
When politicians, especially a Prime Minister, consistently deny that they intend to announce a general election and then do exactly the opposite when it suits, then it’s hardly surprising that a large proportion of the UK electorate will feel that their general distrust and cynicism of our already flawed electoral system is well founded.
News reaches me that a number of Working Links employees were not covered by valid CP vehicle insurance in the Devon area from the period of 27th March up to last weekend. The ensuing chaos in the delivery of Community Payback was compounded by a previous delay with the delivery of fuel cards.
I was not exaggerating in my last Blog post when I said that this week was going to be full of news and so it proved. NPS members have now been sent a consultative ballot in respect of the outcome of negotiations which have taken an age to reach fruition. The covering material explains the reasons why and no doubt you will draw your own conclusions, but following the recommendation by Napo’s Probation Negotiating Committee, members are being asked to accept the package and get your responses in to us by mid-day on 17th April please.
