• All pay steps of £36,500 and under will increase by 3% with an underpinning minimum increase of £750 (pro-rated for part-time staff)
• A3 minimum increases to £19,314, i.e. £10 per hour
• Pay range maxima at B3, C1, C2, and C3 increase by 3%
• Individual pay step adjustments to ensure 5% gaps between grades, and some evening in progression steps
• Progression payments will continue as appropriate
• 1% Non-consolidated payments for staff on their pay range maximum
• 2.5% increase in fixed-rate allowances
• The guarantee of no compulsory redundancies is extended to 31 March 2020
• Amendments to the definition of the working day/week in contracts of employment to reflect current working arrangements
• Introduction of a new rate of on-call payment of £10 per day for single periods of on-call that are under 10 hours in duration
• Review of C3 grade
• A review of special leave to include union claims for disability leave and baby loss leave
• A review of family leave including qualifying periods for paternity leave and the case for improving parental leave provision
• An evidence based study of working time to include working hours and well-being
• An equal pay audit
• A separate discussion on a review of travel and subsistence rates outside of pay negotiations
• The offer delivers individual increases including progression, non-consolidated payments and underpin uplifts ranging from 4% to 12.74%. This is above the current rate of inflation

Scottish Government have published details of the offer on the Saltire staff intranet. You can use this information to check how the offer would affect you.

Your Branch Executive Committee Recommend Members Accept the Offer

Prospect has achieved some significant results in this offer in spite of Scottish ministers pay policy. We have demonstrated the value of trade unions and collective bargaining in securing better outcomes for members.  We have in fact been able to ensure that whilst we may have not started fully on the road to pay restitution, we have ensured that members pay does not decrease in real terms.

• The offer delivers a range of above inflation pay rises ranging from 4% to 13.71% when progression and non-consolidated increases are included.
• All staff who qualify receive above inflation awards in the course of the 2019-20 pay year
• The offer includes additional protection for the lowest paid with the minimum award of £750 and more at the A3 entry level to ensure a new minimum rate of £10 per hour
• The guarantee of job security from the no compulsory redundancy agreement negotiated with Scottish ministers some years ago is extended for a further year
• We have achieved a commitment from management to review special leave, family leave and working hours with a view to further improvements
• Allowances are increased above inflation and a new on-call allowance wills ensure staff are paid for all hours worked
• Our claim for a long overdue review of Travel and Subsistence rates has been met

 

Whilst the offer falls short of all the objectives in our pay claim, Prospect believes that the offer represents one which we can recommend to members, because  there is no question that the final offer addresses many of our key demands for Fair Pay and that management have ensured the maximum use of all money available under the pay policy.

Further Prospect has received a commitment from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Derek Mackay, that he would welcome joint working with the trade unions to take a longer term view of public sector pay policy in 2020-21 and beyond with a view to restoring the value of public sector pay in Scotland.

As Scottish Government have made maximum use of the pay policy with inflation proofed awards and we have secured the Cabinet Secretary’s commitment to work with unions to deliver restoration of the value of our pay the BEC are recommending that members accept the 2019 pay offer from Scottish Government.

If this offer is accepted by members we will continue to work with management and Ministers to build on what has been delivered and continue the journey to fair pay for PCS members.

Ballot Process

It is intended to ballot members over the next few weeks.  An electronic ballot paper will be sent to your registered ballot address in the week commencing 3^rd of June.  It’s therefore most important that we have the correct information for you. You can check your details are accurate by visiting the members section of the Prospect website

Where members working at the same location request one we will seek to hold members meetings to discuss the offer. Please notify your local representative as soon as possible if you wish to have a meeting with the negotiating Team.  We would suggest that members might want to delay returning ballot papers until we have discussed the offer and the branch recommendation at those meetings where they are held.

If you don’t receive a ballot email Friday June 7^th the you should contact the Edinburgh Office on 0131 558 2660.

IF YOU ARE NOT A PROSPECT MEMBER WHY NOT JOIN US IN OUR CAMPAIGN FOR FAIR PAY

Contact the Edinburgh Office on the above number for more information or

Visit www.prospect.org.uk