The General Secretary, Simon Boon has today responded to NCA late supplementary evidence not previously available ahead of the NCARRB oraal on 28th November. Simon wrote:
Dear David,
I can confirm that I have now received the supplementary evidence recently submitted by the NCA Director General, Lynne Owens.
I would like to take this opportunity to re-affirm our commitment to working with the Agency to the very tight timescales which have been set. In this way, and irrespective of the outcome, we know we have played our part in trying to secure a pay award for our members within this financial year, backdated to the autumn.
Since our oral presentation, the NCOA are slightly better sighted on the Agency’s proposals but still lack the precise data on who are likely to be, as our membership are describing, the winners and losers. This information and the contents of the Agency’s supplementary report is precisely the level of detail which is needed to influence our members to either support, or step away from the proposals being drawn up.
Whilst the clock is ticking rapidly I see this as painful work in process. I am however delighted to report that the NCOA‘s persistent request to be included within the decision making processes of the Remuneration Committee, have now been met. This involvement will of course help add a layer of reassurance to what may become the definitive forum for some key decisions on pay related issues moving forward.
At this present time we are committed to what is an informal period of engagement, and have made it very clear to the Agency that whilst efforts to examine how pay might be reformed are welcome, reform of terms and conditions used as a carrot to secure any such pay reform are not.
The NCOA see no pay based rationale to introduce a longer working week, reduced sickness terms or enhanced flexibility at this time. Additionally and given the focus of our case, it would be remiss of me not to draw to your attention to the latest CPI inflation figures which now sit at 3.1%, a near six year high.
We are very clear that we see any process to penalise some of our better paid members (in any grade) with non-consolidated pay awards, as both inappropriate and misguided.
The consistent muddying of pay progression and cost of living pay awards should not be allowed to continue, particularly in light of the upward trend in inflation.
Yours sincerely,
Simon Boon
General Secretary
Simon Boon
NCOA General Secretary