NGSF Pay Negotiations

Following several meetings with the company in order to progress our joint pay claim little progress has made on the key items within that claim. The TU side wrote formally to the company following the break-up of talks in early March, which highlighted our significant concerns and reminding them of our claim. We have not had a response or movement from the company. It is likely negotiations will resume in May.

The full time officers of each union met collectively with the lay reps in March to discuss next steps and progress made to date.

For those that have perhaps recently joined the company or are feeling a little uncertain, we would like to share some principles that all of the Trade Unions share:

• If an offer from the company falls significantly short of our claim, we will endeavour to gain improvements through further negotiation
• If that offer from the company cannot be improved upon by negotiation we will ballot the membership and inform them that this is the best offer achieved by negotiation. In this instance we may not recommend it for acceptance and could also seek a mandate from the membership to pursue potential industrial action in order to achieve an improvement in the company offer.
• If an offer from the company meets the significant elements of our claim, we will ballot the membership with a recommendation of acceptance of that offer

Members have also expressed concern with the company’s bulletin and stance in the latest “At a Glance” article released 3^rd April. We expect, as in all previous negotiations, that as part of any settlement agreed the pay elements would be backdated to cover the period from the end of the existing agreement to the implementation of the new agreement.

We also look forward to seeing the Annual Report from the company, due to be published in the summer, detailing executive pay levels and reward frameworks for contributing to a highly profitable and successful company. The Trade Unions will continue to press for a pay settlement that reflects the company’s standing.

Please remember that this is the Trade Unions claim, and that members will make the final decision once negotiations have concluded. Please encourage any colleagues covered by the NGSF who are not members to join a union to have that say and receive the other benefits of union membership.

Your NGSF Sector Chairs