The Framework Agreement

This agreement is split into two parts – job evaluation and conditions of service:

JOB EVALUATION AND EQUAL PAY (HERA)
A job evaluation study, using the HERA process, was undertaken so there is now a single wage structure within the university.
Under the new single structure, people’s jobs have been evaluated. Those people whose jobs were found to have been undervalued have been “green-circled” and placed on their new, higher, rate.

• Those who are matched to a job which is lower than their provisional match have been “red-circled” and have their current salary preserved for up to 4 years.
• Those of you who are matched to the same salary range means that you will transfer from the current structure to the new grade structure.

Red Circled Posts
• As of 27th March there are a total of 14 red circled posts
• There are 11 posts to be re-organised
• There are 9 with a market supplement
• There are another three posts under review
• There is one new role
• There is one role with an acting up allowance


THE APPEALS PROCEDURE
• If the staff member wishes to challenge the HERA evaluation he or she may raise an appeal if one or both of the following criteria are met:
• ‘the job content has significantly changed since the date of the last evaluation’ and/or
• ‘that the immediate manager and/or Head of School/Service has not followed the procedures correctly.

JOB EVALUATION AND EQUAL PAY
• We are not pretending that this agreement necessarily delivers equal pay, which is the employer’s responsibility to ensure. However, we consider that implementing this system makes it much more likely that we can tackle any equal pay issues.
• Our aim is to implement a system which supports equal pay, within our overall framework of doing the best that we can for all members and minimising where possible the undermining of previously negotiated terms and conditions.


THE NATIONAL FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT
• The whole purpose of the Framework Agreement is to bring all staff groups into a single framework for pay and conditions of service and thereby eliminate inequitable practices. The Framework is not just about new pay rates. It is also about changing a number of working practices which could undermine the Framework’s objectives

It is, therefore, proposed that the following conditions be harmonised for all staff :
• Implement the new grading structure and grade boundaries.
• Assimilation to the new grading structure on the 1st August 2006 and their annual incremental date (unless they are at the top of the grade) will be 1st August. The first incremental date will be on the 1st August 2007.
• Market supplements will continue, using the agreed revised Market Pay Policy.
• Overtime rates - a common denominator of 1/260th should be used for the calculation of an hourly rate
• All staff on Grade F and above are required to give a minimum of three months notice in writing. Staff on other grades will continue to be required to give one month’s notice.
• Once all roles have been assigned to the new pay grading structure with effect from 1.8.06, we will implement a review procedure.
• All support staff have 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days after 5 years continuous service at UEL. All staff has the same leave year from 1st September 2007. i.e. from 31st August – 1st September.
• All staff would be paid on the last Thursday of each month with the exception of December, when it is paid on the 3rd Thursday of the month.
For support staff, however, there are two points which are a major change in our conditions, i.e. the change of pay date (from the middle to the end of the month) and the change of the date on which the incremental rise is paid. For anyone whose grade under the HERA process has been equated to their current grade, and who is not at the top of the grade, they will not receive an incremental rise in April 2007; they will have to wait until August 2007.
We have, however, negotiated a payment of £500 for support staff and two additional day’s holiday (applicable after 5 years service). This payment is for the acceptance of the package as a whole.

WHY AMICUS IS RECOMMENDING THE DEAL

One collective agreement can’t change everything that is unfair about our pay and conditions. However, we consider that in the circumstances, we have been able to strike a deal which is to the advantage of the majority of our members and starts to address equal pay issues. On this basis, we recommend it to you.