MEETINGS MONDAY 4TH MARCH, STEPS THEATRE, WELLGATE, DUNDEE – 4.00PM AND 5.30PM
We are holding meetings for members on Monday evening, 4th March. Depending on turnout we may seek to have further meetings, so please do not worry if you can’t make it. It’s really important that as many of you as possible come along, as Dundee City Council are imposing detrimental changes to YOUR terms of employment without appropriate consultation.
On Monday 18 February 2019 the Council Administration took the decision to unilaterally change the Managing Workforce Change Policy. The joint trade unions met with HR to discuss the Managing Workforce Change Policy on 24 January 2019, following that meeting on 8 February 2019 a revised policy was circulated. At a Management/Trade Union meeting on 12 February 2019, some 20 days later, the joint trade unions were informed that no further consultation would take place and that Councillors would be asked to ratify the policy.
Further changes were made to the policy at the Council meeting on Monday 18 February 2019 and as yet we have not received an updated version of the policy. The Council’s decision to push through this policy has clouded normal processes. We are awaiting clarification on these issues:
1. As this policy is being imposed, what is the effective date
2. We have seen no equality impact assessment information relating to this policy
3. At the Council meeting on Monday 18 February 2019 Councillor Alexander made a comment in relation to flexible retirement where he said that flexible retirement beyond the two year cap could be discussed and may be agreed where it was mutually beneficial to the Council. This was not articulated in the policy which was circulated
The contentious issues contained in the Managing Workforce Change Policy are as follows:
1. Having had a NO compulsory redundancy policy for several years, the Council now has a compulsory redundancy policy
2. A two year cap has been added to the flexible retirement scheme which means that anyone applying for and being granted flexible retirement must retire within two years
3. Cash Conservation (pay protection) has been reduced from three years to one year
.
All staff other than teachers are affected by the changes which have now been imposed. The manner in which Dundee City Council has conducted this consultation exercise is an absolute disgrace. We will conduct a consultative ballot to gauge the appetite for some form of industrial action and we will consult you on what you are prepared to do, and what would be most effective.
We have agreed to hold two joint trade unions meetings on Monday 4 March at the Steps Theatre, Wellgate, Dundee, the first meeting is at 4pm and the second is at 5.30pm. Please come along and hear how these changes might affect you and why they need to be challenged.
Posted: 27th February 2019