Friday 20 December 2013

Joint Napo/UNISON statement




 Transforming Rehabilitation –
Significant progress on a Staff Transfer and Protection Agreement


Following on from the meeting at the offices of the conciliation service ACAS on Monday, Napo, UNISON and GMB/SCOOP met with the Minister, Jeremy Wright yesterday.  A frank but constructive dialogue took place and we managed to secure a further concession from the MoJ with regard to protections for staff over continuity of service. Since Monday, we have improved the additional protection of continuity of employment for staff employed on the 31 March 2014 who transfer between CRCs or from the NPS to a CRC, post share sale from 9 months to 7 years.

As a result, the following statement has been sent to the MoJ today.

The joint trade unions acknowledge the progress made in discussions during w/c 16 December, including ACAS and the Probation Minister, regarding the NNC/SCCOG Staff Transfer and Protection Agreement. We are minded to recommend the latest offer (subject to written confirmation) to our respective committees with a view to seeking agreement and ratification at the next NNC. As you know, we need to make rapid progress on an interchange agreement, the staff commission and technical pension issues.

Each union will now be making arrangements to call meetings of relevant committees to progress matters. Meanwhile, both unions have agreed to suspend local disputes regarding TR assignment pending decisions on the final draft agreement at the next NNC.
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NNC CIRCULAR No. 11/2013
SCCOG CIRCULAR No. 10/2013

TRANSFORMING REHABILITATION – ER/HR ISSUES

NATIONAL AGREEMENT ON STAFF TRANSFER AND PROTECTIONS

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We write to confirm that, following a period of intensive negotiations, it has been agreed that the National Agreement on Staff transfer and protections will now be tabled for ratification at a full meeting of the NNC/SCCOG in January 2014.

The Agreement includes an enhanced voluntary redundancy scheme which will remain in operation until 31 March 2015, with the last day of service agreed to be no later than 31 March 2016. Additionally, the commercial contracts will specify that, other than where more beneficial terms exist, where voluntary redundancy is offered, these enhanced terms should apply to any member of staff employed by a Probation Trust on 31 March 2014.

Key provisions of the Agreement are:

         A guarantee of employment for all probation staff, employed by a Probation Trust at 31 March 2014, in either the NPS or appropriate CRC.

         No compulsory redundancy up until 1 June 2015

         Protection of continuity of employment for any member of staff transferring between NPS/CRC up to the point of share sale.

         Additional protection of continuity of employment for staff employed on the 31 March 2014 who transfer between CRCs or from the NPS to a CRC for a period of seven years post share sale, this to be specified in the commercial contract.

         Continuation of Trade Union Recognition.

         Continuation of National Collective Bargaining - national collective bargaining arrangements will be continued with the recognised trade unions.   These arrangements, which will replicate the existing NNC and SCCOG machinery appropriately reconstituted, will be recognised in formal Constitutions agreed by 31 March 2014.

         Maximising career development opportunities and interchange between the ​CRCs and NPS. An Interchange Agreement will be developed and jointly agreed by 31 March 2014.

The employers and the trade unions recognise that the past few months have been very unsettling for staff.  The additional protections provided by key elements of the Agreement are designed to provide greater reassurance to staff about their future employment and terms and conditions.

This Agreement will be formally ratified at a full meeting of the NNC and SCCOG in January 2014.  In the meantime, the disputes at local level are suspended by the trade unions and will be withdrawn once the Agreement is ratified.   

 

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