Members will recall that the plight of the BPC was reported in member briefings in July 2014 and subsequent NCARRB submissions by the NCOA. The dilemma of the former Borders Investigators, who were being prevented from transferring laterally, for fear of the removal of the AHW, has been a constant priority of the NCOA and was escalated to the Joint Negotiating Consultative Committee (JNCC) in March. The NCOA is delighted to announce a joint agreement between the employer and the NCOA that will lift the detrimental barriers to career development opportunities.
With immediate effect, any officer whose salary consists of an allowance element, who wishes to transfer to a post that attracts overtime/allowance, will be permitted to do so whilst retaining their existing terms and conditions. Similarly with immediate effect, all BPC staff that are not on allowances, will be offered the opportunity to assimilate onto NCA terms.
Notably, there will not be any future detriment to any officer, at point of assimilation, who does not wish to take NCA terms . . . they will be permitted to continue in post, retaining their grade, pay and allowances until such time as they wish to accept any contractual change.
The NCOA continues to challenge the employer in respect of assimilation to ensure that BPC staff have previous assurances honoured in respect of grade and scale position to reflect skills and time in post.