In responding to the concerns voiced at the AGM, the NCOA has delivered a very strong message to the NCARRB (NCA Remuneration Review Panel) in respect of pay, allowances, progression, morale & motivation.
In an hour long oral presentation this week, Simon’s Boon & Bashford presented a ‘no holds barred’ attack on the Home Secretary proposed 1% pay cap, condemning the Government as treating NCA staff as generic Civil Servants in respect of pay and allowances but police officers in respect of powers and discipline!
The NCOA gave frank and honest reports in respect of the NCA Transformation programme, its engagement with its staff and its poor communication around changes and impact to staff.
In respect of ‘workforce issues’ NCOA compared market forces with that of our own, citing that police officers enjoy a contractual period of just 10 years to progress from minimum to maximum salary (& only 4 years at line manager grades) compared with the stagnant financial position of our members.
The NCARRB panel listened to your views directly when they were keen to hear our members’ response to the latest staff survey. They were left in no uncertain terms that, whilst there was a degree of satisfaction around pay and conditions at very senior and new entrant level, the vast majority of staff in grades 6 - 1 felt disconnected, demotivated and disengaged.
On assimilation, the NCOA forcefully delivered the plight of the Borders Policing Command who, nearly a year and a half after joining the agency, had still not been offered any kind of assimilation terms, leaving them feeling isolated and unable to progress their career upwardly or laterally.
The NCOA however delivered the NCARRB with an opportunity to make some real and tangible difference to the financial reward of its staff. Our innovative pay proposals included:
- Pay Grade Shortening at Grades 5 & 6 which would realise real movement within scale and see an officer reach scale maximum in just 8 years, more in line with management grades.
- A raise at all scale maxima figure in line with any award, to mirror that of the police service, where any pay increase is consolidated and pensionable for all staff.
- A unique and innovative ‘Anti-Social Shift’ allowance to reward staff who do not receive 24/7 allowance nor overtime but, who are required to work a variety of shifts in order to service vital intelligence requirements for the organisation.
- A Northern Ireland Allowance to reflect the fact that NCA staff are treated equitably with their PSNI and Prison officer colleagues, in recognising the unique constraints placed upon the lives of officers and their family.
- An uplift in Subsistence rates in line with HMRC figures, who realistically recognise the need to recompense the inconvenience and welfare of members required to work and subsist away from their Branch for long periods of time.
NCOA gives every assurance that we are totally committed to securing the same pay reward for every officer, whether they have powers or not. The proposals we have submitted to the NCARRB will in due course be submitted by the NCOA, at the summer treasury pay negotiations, for officers without powers. NCOA recognises no distinction between our two groups of members, but are bound by the two tier pay negotiation panels at the direction of the Crime & Courts Act.
If you have any questions regarding this, or any other union issue, please speak to your nearest workplace representative.