Single Status breakthrough

Hard negotiating by UNISON has brought about an significant breakthrough in the Single Status negotiations. On offer is an agreement which will deliver 35 hours for all by April 2005, offers current bonus earners interim pay protection on the same terms as exist now, specifies a timetable for the long awaited introduction of job evaluation, and crucially, sets out a new pay protection policy.

What follows is a brief guide to the agreement, but more information is available from Branch Officers and this matter will be discussed at the Annual General Meeting on March 20th.

35 Hours For All

Under the proposals, employees currently working to a 36½ hour week (whether full or part time) will see this reduced to a 36 hour week by April 1st 2003. This means that full timers will have their hours reduced with no reduction in pay, whilst part time employees will see their hourly rate increase. This will particularly benefit part time, women employees. Further, for this sizeable group of employees, their working week will be reduced, in phases, to 35 hours by April 2005. Employees already working to a 35 hour week will see no change to their hours. Clearly, what this means is that the goal of harmonising working hours down to a decent standard of 35 hours a week for all is now in sight. It's been a long struggle but securing 35 hours for all, which the Branch has fought hard for, is now on offer.

Total pay

The agreement also stipulates that the overall pay envelope - i.e. the total amount of money the Council sets aside to cover all wages, pension contributions, etc - will not be reduced, and will in fact grow in relation to any increases in workplace numbers and pay awards. This is important because it prevents the Council from using job evaluation as an opportunity to reduce the wage bill, which is currently in excess of £200 million.

Job evaluation

Job evaluation will be rolled out to all employees, in consultation with the trade unions, only after the payline is published. This is due in October 2004. As members will be aware, the approved job evaluation scheme being used by the Council objectively measures the skills, demands and responsibilities of each job, and produces a points score. The payline is the relationship between job evaluation points and pay and is clearly a critical part of the whole process of Single Status which is designed to ensure that all jobs are fairly paid.

Pay protection

Within one month of the payline being published, a new pay protection policy will be agreed. Pay protection is designed to compensate an employee doing a job that job evaluation has revealed as worth less than current pay rates, compared to other jobs. The agreement would guarantee that any pay protection policy must last between 3 and 5 years and operate on the basis of frozen pay. In other words, those doing jobs which require pay protection would receive the same pay as they were used to, from the point that the new job evaluation scheme was introduced for at least 3 and up to 5 years.

Postal ballot

This agreement will be ratified provided a postal ballot of all UNISON members employed by the Council secures a majority in favour.. This ballot will commence on the 21st March and close on the 2nd April 2003. It is expected that a similar ballot will be held by the TGWU and the GMB. Clearly it is vital that all members take part in this important ballot so please ensure that the Branch has up to date details of your name and address. Also, these Single Status proposals will be discussed at the Annual General Meeting on 20th March, so please attend this meeting.

Final agreement

Whilst this agreement is a sound basis for the establishment of a fair, pay proofed pay and grading system, it does not cover every aspect of Single Status. There will be further membership consultation and another ballot on the final outcome of job evaluation when the final results of this exercise are known..

On 26 April UNISON, in conjunction with the TUC, will be holding a march, rally and concert in Manchester involving trade unions, community groups and all those prepared to stand up to racism and the politics of hate. That's just about everyone then except the BNP and right-wing tabloid journalists, so come along and bring along friends and family for what promises to be a great day out.

The march commences at 11.30 from Castlefield to arrive in Albert Square at around 12.30pm for a rally plus ace entertainment for all the family. Later that night, a concert at the Apollo features tip top acts including... ALABAMA 3 - a frenzy of technobilly lunacy, roots country, hip-hop, dub, gospel politics and excess. They provided the theme music to The Sopranos... CHUMBAWAMBA - tub-thumping anarchists from Sheffield with their bizarre and eclectic sound... RDB (Rhythm Dhol and Bass) - award-winning blend of bhangra, house, garage, Hindi, RnB, hip-hop and ragga... UN-CUT - spacey breakbeats and swooning vocals.

In Britain - as elsewhere in Europe - a vicious undercurrent of racism is starting to rear its ugly head once again. This politics of hate has prompted increasing attacks on asylum seekers and refugees, both in the media and on the streets. It has seen a rise in anti-Muslim sentiment after September 11. Racist organisations present asylum seekers and Muslims as a threat to the 'British way of life', arguing that the white working class have become second class citizens in their own country. We know this isn't true.

Ethnic minorities remain the most deprived people in our society. They are more likely to live in underprivileged areas, are more likely to be poor and unemployed. And now asylum seekers and refugees have become the latest target for verbal and physical racist abuse. The tabloid press has launched a vicious attack, scandalously portraying asylum seekers as scroungers or, even worse, as terrorists. We know this, too, to be a lie. Refugees contribute 10% more to the economy in taxes and national insurance than they consume in benefits and public services. They want to escape terror, not to perpetuate it.

UNISON has a proud history of standing up against racism. Now, as trade unionists, we must once again say that the politics of hate is not acceptable. Trade unions exist to defend equality and to fight discrimination. And it is time for us to defend the real British way of life - a way of life which enjoys the richness of a culturally and racially diverse society, a way of life which applauds the massive contributions made to our society by refugees and migrants (which includes my mum - ed.), a way of life which affords everyone an equal human right to prosper.

It is important now, more than ever, for us to unite against racism, to stop those who create divisions within our society, to defend the rights of refugees to seek asylum, and to make sure that the fear of terrorism doesn't herald a new era of racist politics.

Make your voice heard. Get involved on the 26th April and beyond, because the battle to defeat racism and fascism for which previous generations sacrificed so much, is tragically not yet over .

Supporting the Fire Brigades Union

North West UNISON donated £5,000 to the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) hardship fund to support them in their industrial dispute for fair pay and a modern and efficient fire service for the rest of us. The Branch has supported the FBU over the length of the current dispute. Many members attended the TUC organised rally in London in January and numerous stewards' meetings have collected money and distributed FBU flyers and leaflets. The Branch will continue to support the FBU until a satisfactory resolution to this entirely avoidable dispute is achieved. Click here for more information.

UNISON Manchester Annual General Meeting

This year's Annual General Meeting will held in the Friends Meeting House (behind Central Library) on Thursday 20th March at 12.30pm. There is vital business to conduct, including a motion on Single Status (see front page) plus reports on the Branch election results and on threats to the Local Government Pension Scheme.
As we all know, inquorate meetings send exactly the wrong signal to employers. It is important that the meeting is well attended to demonstrate that the Manchester Branch remains as strong as ever so that it can continue to defend members' interests, fight privatisation and provide the best services to all its members. At the minimum, one member from each workplace should attend so they can report back to their colleagues.

News in Brief

• Thousands of Mancunians demonstrated their support for the anti-war movement in Manchester on March 8th
  despite the pouring rain.

• Blimey, even the World Bank is on our side. Their latest report states that trade unions boost economic performance, have a positive impact in combating discrimination and reduce inequality. Good work from the global finance boffins who've simply reported what working people have known since the industrial revolution.

• Alongside every other trade union movement in the world, US unions are critical of President Bush's approach to a conflict with Iraq. The AFL-CIO, representing tens of millions of US workers, is urging the undemocratically elected George W. Bush to abide by United Nations law and has criticised his administration for dividing the world and insulting America's allies.

• April 26 is Worker's Memorial Day. If you kill, maim or hurt someone, you can expect to go to jail. Except if you employ that someone. Unions have the workplace safety criminals in their sights, so this year's message is Mourn the dead, fight for the living. Click the link for more.