Dear Members,
There has still been no update from the Agency since our formal communication with them last week. Subsequently, neither the NCOA nor the NCA for that matter, can give you any guarantees that your award will be paid in February – the target date we have been working towards over the past few weeks. As a result, we have made the regrettable decision to advise our members to continue to withdraw goodwill until further notice – either when the pay award is delivered, or when we secure the concrete assurances sought.
For us all to wait with our fingers crossed and at the mercy of the Government’s schedule is not an option – particularly given their record of inaction over the past six months. It is this casual approach to your pay which has led us to this point – the message by NCOA members must be clear and unambiguous. The fact that we have given the Agency a wholly achievable and alternative Plan B routing which guarantees swift resolution without relying on a vacant Westminster slot next week, is painfully frustrating.
We therefore ask that you stand firm and make it clear that the continued failure to deliver your pay award is unacceptable and legal restrictions or not, there are consequences.
Whilst there has been no update from the Agency, there have been plenty of updates from across the workplace where NCOA members are refusing to undertake voluntary on-call work and ensuring their working life does not dominate the rest of the 24hr period unnecessarily. We have even received reports from colleagues who feel a real sense of freedom through the simple act of enjoying their lunch break away from their desks - even away from the building in some cases. Shocking as it may sound (but not that surprising), we are also aware of members who have decided that the pay debacle really is the last straw and have signalled their departure from the Agency to seek employment elsewhere – with any pay they are offered validating their commitment and the skills they have to offer beyond the NCA.
The NCOA will continue to provide a daily update here until the 2022 pay award has been secured for Feb pay packets.
For rapid SMS info straight to your non-NCA mobile phone, please ensure your personal details are updated by emailing membership@ncoa.org.uk
Simon Boon
NCOA General Secretary