It will not have gone unnoticed to many of you that the current ‘1% Pay Cap’ for Public Sector employees including the Police has been much in the news in recent days. Whilst the award given to Police officers has given an indication of a more flexible stance by HM Government; with inflation currently 2.9%, the award remains in real terms a pay cut for Police officers and . . . is unfunded.
On this occasion, those who have heralded this decision as recognition of the good work those in the law enforcement undertake seem to have misjudged the mood of its recipients.
The recent NCA intranet article on Pay Reform is correct in so much that the recent Government announcement does not directly affect NCA pay review. Whilst the NCA have the same Pay Review Body (PRB) as the Police, at this stage, neither the NCA nor NCOA have made their submissions to the PRB. Your NEC welcomes that the NCA consider that real progress has been made in its negotiations with the Home Office and HM Treasury for pay reform in the NCA. We look forward to receiving further information which we can share with NCOA Members.
NCOA Members continue to have the opportunity to influence both its submission to the NCARRB and the ultimate stance taken by the NCOA on any pay reform proposals. This matter will be subject of debate at our AGM on the 26th and 27th September. Soon, we will publish the Motions book to all members, which contains the following:
Motion E1: Pay Ballot.
The paucity of NCA Pay awards and the need for engagement for NCA plans for Pay Reform have been issues consistently raised by NCOA members as well as being debated at NCOA AGM’s.
Your NEC are committed to engagement with all its Members and to represent all its Members equally not matter what Grade or Role when dealing with all matters relating to Pay, Allowances and Reward. The motion seeks this AGM to further endorse this position.
The recent DG’s blog has indicated that Pay Reform may reach its conclusion. Whilst there has been embargo on information to officers and your NEC are not aware even informally of the most recent proposals following a direction given to the NCA by HM Treasury.
This AGM should instruct the NEC to consult with its Members regarding any NCOA position to be given to the NCARRB on the NCA Pay Reform proposals and to ballot / survey all Members on any formal NCA proposals which emanate from proposed Pay Reform in the NCA. Should the NCA seek a Collective Agreement on Pay Reform proposal, your NEC will act in accordance of the majority wish of all NCOA members.
Whilst being cognisant of any embargo, your NEC must keep all NCOA members fully updated on pay reform information and developments.’
Your NEC encourages NCOA members to either attend the AGM to debate this important issue or, ensure that your local NCOA Rep knows your views.
To register your interest in attending the AGM, please e-mail membership@ncoa.org.uk.