union for professionals • www.prospect.org.uk ISSUE 1 • FEBRUARY-MARCH 2012

Education programme Prospect website Pensions talks Health and safety Oxfam appeal

CAMERON ATTACKS...

Profile

2 Feb-Mar 1/12

GENERAL SECRETARY

profile@prospect.org.uk

www.prospect.org.ukEditor: Charles HarveyReports: Graham StewartKatherine Beirne Penny Vevers

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‘Cuts that hurt’ – Prospect’s message for 2012Prospect’s ‘I’m Not a Number’ campaign last year showed MPs that government cuts affect real people in real jobs. It told the personal story of scientists, engineers, physicists and others whose jobs were under threat because of savage budget cuts, and tried to dispel myths about the stereotype of civil servants promoted by the media (www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaBGgph2da8)

We are determined to build on this in 2012 and to explain clearly to MPs and peers the damage being done to the public services our members provide, as well as the impact on members. We will also demonstrate the extent to which cuts in public expenditure impact on private sector jobs, for example in defence industries and R&D as well as telecoms, and how the notion that the private sector will pick up the slack by job creation is not supported by experience or the facts.

Sadly, we have plenty of examples from which to choose. The Forensic Science Service will close next month with 1,200 members sacked or moved, and with untold damage done to the criminal justice system; the Audit Commission is being axed, dramatically weakening the effectiveness of the public sector audit function; cut after cut and closure after unplanned closure is being imposed on the Ministry of Defence, with huge potential for very serious consequences; the UK’s capacity to roll out fast broadband is being undermined by public policy failure; access to veterinary advice is being made more difficult for farmers all over the country. Sadly, I could go on.

It is important that in this campaign, Prospect (and the TUC) recognise where the public mood lies on these issues and that the basic line “the nation’s credit card is maxed out and we have to take tough action” still resonates with many. People are, however, increasingly worried that the cuts are not delivering economic success, that the government is not doing enough to build for the future, to provide jobs for young people or to reduce inequality. It is not just in the UK that it is now apparent that harsh public spending cuts initiate a vicious spiral of economic decline, as well as harming services valued by people.

Past experience has shown that Prospect campaigns are most effective when they fully involve reps and members. The national executive will be looking at some detailed plans in March and we will publicise our actions fully on our new website. For those who have not yet visited, just go to www.prospect.org.uk – a guide to the site is on the centre pages of this Profile.

Welcome to AspectA big welcome to the almost 4,000 members of Aspect who joined Prospect on February 1 after an all-members’ ballot. Aspect will be fully represented at our national conference in May and two of their number join the Prospect NEC as observers from March. Prospect is now a genuinely cross-sectoral, professional union and I am sure that Aspect’s membership profile in educational improvement will prove an excellent organisational fit.

Anyone who wants to hear more from me (but more briefly at 140 characters max) can follow me on Twitter @PaulNoonGS

Paul Noon

We will demonstrate the extent to which

cuts in public expenditure impact

on private sector jobs and how the notion that the

private sector will pick up the slack by job creation

is not supported by experience or

the facts

CONFERENCE DEADLINEBranches and sections are reminded that the deadline for nominations for delegates and motions for national conference in May is 12 noon on Tuesday February 21

IN THIS ISSUE ...7 PENSIONS ON A TIGHTROPE

Final offer nears as unions hammer out key details of new scheme

8 MELTDOWN AT MOD Confusion over redundancies turns to anger as job cuts target civilians

11 RENEWABLES OBLIGATION New pricing structure will disadvantage hybrid co-firing options, Prospect warns ministers

14 TONGUE-TIED GOVERNMENT Why language training by departments is very much an open and shut case

15 REPRESENTING YOU Trade union reps are worth every penny, says independent report on facility time

18 EDUCATION PROGRAMME They’re free, they’re fun, they’re informative – Prospect’s 2012 courses for aspiring reps

20 YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE How Prospect members have supported Oxfam projects over 25 years

5SCOTTISH

INDEPENDENCE

Union reps face up to

what it could mean

for Prospect

THE GOVERNMENT has lined up a series of attacks on the individual and collective rights of workers under the pretence that they will boost the UK’s faltering economic recovery.

It is now consulting on plans to make individuals pay fees upfront before they can go to an employment tribunal – and further legal changes are in the pipeline (see right).

Already it has raised the service threshold for bringing a claim of unfair dismissal from one to two years, to be implemented from April 6.

And within two years claimants will have to pay a minimum of £400 – and potentially as much as £1,750 – to bring their case before an employment or appeal tribunal.

Government announced its intentions in last year’s consultation on ‘Resolving Workplace Disputes’. The Ministry of Justice is now consulting by March 6 on two charging options:

an initial fee of £150-£250 to begin a claim, with a further £250-£1,250 fee if it goes to a hearing. If the case is won, there would be no limit on awards

a single fee of £200-£600, but limiting the maximum award to £30,000 (with the option of an additional £1,750 fee for those seeking awards above £30,000).

Prospect general secretary Paul Noon said: “Claimants will have to pay to lodge an initial claim and then possibly again for the claim to go ahead. This puts a price on access

workers must be employed for two years to claim unfair dismissal. This is unjust and will hit women and ethnic minority workers with shorter service

it will be mandatory to submit claims to ACAS for conciliation before going to an ET. This should be voluntary

judges will be able to hear cases alone. Lay tribunal members’ recent and practical knowledge of the workplace is essential.

to justice for people at work. “It is totally unfair when the reason people go to a

tribunal is because their employers have failed to abide by the law.”

Charging would add a significant administrative burden to the tribunals service, Noon warned. “We need to work together with other unions, voluntary organisations and the legal profession to challenge this retrograde step.”

At last autumn’s Conservative party conference, chancellor George Osborne defended the policy by saying: “We’re ending the ‘one-way bet’ against businesses.” In fact the only one-way bet is against workers, who will have to pay charges from which employers will be exempt.

For the most recent year (2010-11), the number of claims accepted by employment tribunals fell 8 per cent to 218,100. Only 68,700 (31 per cent) proceeded to a hearing.

Profile

Feb-Mar 1/12 3

WHAT PRICE JUSTICE AT WORK?

EQUAL PAY VICTORY FOR 70 MEMBERS IN VALUATION OFFICEPROSPECT HAS successfully settled more than 70 equal pay claims against the Valuation Office Agency.

In all cases, the union’s legal team argued that the pay system’s dependence on length of service discriminated against women.

Prospect’s appeal to the Employment Appeal Tribunal was due to be heard in January, but the cases were settled shortly before the hearing.

Increases in pay have been paid to the claimants and over 100 VOA employees in a similar position.

More information will be published on the website and in the forthcoming newsletter on equal pay.

BUMPER RESPONSE TO MEMBER SURVEYALMOST 12,000 members responded to the 2012 online survey of Prospect members which closed earlier this month.

Researcher Jonathan Green thanked respondents and said the survey would give the union an invalu-able snapshot of views across different professions and sectors. It would also provide an insight into priori-ties at the workplace and indicate how the union had performed since the last survey in 2010.

“Over 400 respondents expressed an interest in becoming a representative and 600 requested informa-tion about Prospect Learning Services. Headline results

will be published at the end of February and the full report in April,” he said.

General secretary Paul Noon said the last survey had helped greatly in developing the union’s communications and campaigns strategy. “The feedback to the current survey will provide essential

information on how we can maintain improvements in these and other areas.”

The survey asked questions about members’ individual experience at the workplace, career prospects, support from Prospect, use of union services, communica-tions and workplace issues.

YOU SHOWED YOU CARE WITH £830K IN 25 YEARSAT THE end of 2011 Prospect celebrated 25 years of working hand-in-hand with Oxfam to alleviate poverty in the developing world. During this time members raised a staggering £837,283 for emergency and long-term aid projects.

In 1986 the terrible famine across Ethiopia and Eritrea moved members to launch the Africa Appeal at national conference. Since then donations have supported projects as far afield as Haiti, Zimbabwe, Nicaragua and Cambodia.

“Members have proved that as a union we do not just focus on the self-interest of members, but that we genuinely care about the wider world,” said general secretary Paul Noon. Full story, pages 20-21

Prospect services, including up to 40 per cent savings on cinema tickets provided by the union’s service provider CSMA, were included in the survey. See www.csmaclub.co.uk/newsandoffers/cinematickets

Noon – Putting a price on justice Cameron – One-way bet

OXFAM

STEFANO CAGNONI

PETER MACDIARM

ID/GETTY IMAGES

Coming soon... charging fees for tribunal

claimants reducing consultation on

collective redundancies from the current 90 days

review of TUPE regulations capping legal fees for workers

taking personal injury claims cutting trade union facility

time in the public sector (story, page 15).

6APRIL

FROM

A massive deterrent to justice – Law at work, page 27

NEWSProfile

4 Feb-Mar 1/12

Bills soar as vehicle tests go privateFACILITIES FOR heavy goods vehicles to be road-tested at an officially-approved testing station are disappearing fast, Prospect members said this month.

The warning came from the union’s Vehicle and Operator Services Agency section, which said that half the UK’s private test facilities now severely restrict the type of vehicle they will allow on their sites. For example, very few are able to test dangerous goods vehicles.

The section has fought a three-year campaign against the closure of VOSA’s own stations – which are all open access – and their replacement by privately owned sites.

VOSA’s ‘testing transformation programme’ has been financed by a £14.5m grant from the Department for Transport, designed to ‘move testing closer to the operator’ – or one step closer to the complete privatisation of heavy goods vehicle testing.

Testing is no longer available at nine VOSA sites and at least four more sites will cease testing by the end of the year.

VOSA’s desperation to press ahead is wasting huge amounts of public money, says section secretary Kevin Warden. He pointed to the closure of the Birmingham site last October, where the lease still has 30 years to run, leaving VOSA with a £50,000-a-year bill plus the cost of relocating staff.

At VOSA’s Ipswich site, HGV testing will soon stop, but because the buildings are leased staff have been told they cannot relocate and have to stay put.

Staff based at Mitcham, south London, have to travel to sites as far away as the

south coast because of the decision to close their site.

“This shows how VOSA will spend whatever it takes to close its testing stations and replace them with privately owned sites,” said Warden.

In the three years that ‘authorised test facilities’ have been marketed, 166 have been created. Of these, 102 were previously known as ‘designated premises’.

A further 28 DPs rushed to open before January 2009, after which their only choice

would be to become an ATF. Warden said: “Of course at VOSA’s

sites no favour is given and anyone is able to attend any of the sites to have their vehicles tested. That’s because we offer a public service to the country, regardless of fleet size or political clout.”

He called on VOSA and DfT to invest in a programme of publicly-owned and strategi-cally located testing and enforcement sites, with this work supplemented by the private sites.

MEMBERS OF the 4,000-strong union for professionals in education and children’s services voted overwhelmingly at the end of last year to transfer into Prospect from February 2012.

Ninety-three per cent of Aspect members returned a yes vote, and the transfer was approved by the Certification Officer last month. This means Aspect members are now an autonomous profes-sional group within Prospect.

Deputy general secretary Mike Clancy welcomed the ‘great synergy’ between both organisations. “We each represent key professionals, managers and special-ists, who need the combined strength of a professional voice and trade union repre-sentation,” he said.

“As a group within Prospect, Aspect will continue to look after the distinct interests of its members, at a time when education and children’s services face major challenges due to the contraction in spending by local

authorities and related agencies.”Aspect general secretary John Chowcat

added: “We will be in a position to maintain our specialist professional focus and identity, while benefiting from access to stronger resources to support members. We look forward to a strong and fruitful partnership.”

Many Aspect members are school improvement professionals working for local authorities as independent consultants. Others include early years professionals and advisers, advisory head teachers, directors and managers of children’s services, education welfare officers, social care professionals, senior youth and community officers and Ofsted inspectors.

Most are employed in local government, so like many other Prospect members are experiencing the impact of spending cuts, job losses, the public sector pay freeze and the government attack on pensions.

Aspect is recognised alongside three

NEC NOMINATION FOR GENERAL SECRETARYAT ITS meeting in January the national executive committee selected Mike Clancy, deputy general secretary, as its nominee to succeed Paul Noon on his retirement at the end of the year.

Branches have now been invited to submit nominations, which must be received by the president, Nigel Titchen, by Friday March 23. In the event of a ballot it will be conducted by Electoral Reform Services, who will act as the independent scrutineer required by employment law.

The timetable for a ballot, which is governed by a strict code of conduct designed to ensure fairness between candi-dates, is set out below.

ELECTION TIMETABLE23 MARCH Deadline for

receipt of nominations19 APRIL Issue of ballot

papers10 MAY Deadline for return

of ballot papers11 MAY Scrutineer’s report

and declaration of result.

other unions by the national-level Soulbury committee, which negotiates on pay and sets the national salary framework for 10,500 advisory staff in local education authorities.

Members will continue to receive their quarterly magazine, Improvement, which focuses on professional and trade union issues. Staff will remain based at the former Aspect headquarters in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Aspect has a website at www.aspect.org.uk, which the main Prospect site will link to.

Looking forward to a fruitful partnership

JohnChowcat(right)andPaulNoonsignthenewgroupintobeing

Testing at the Avonmouth centre, Bristol. Some VOSA workers are having to travel miles to get to privately-owned testing facilities

‘Professionals, managers and specialists need the combined strength of a professional voice and union representation’

BOB BOWEN

Profile

Feb-Mar 1/12 5

NEWS

Scottish members gear up for two-year independence debateTHE CONSTITUTIONAL relationship between Scotland and the rest of the UK has provoked debate on both sides of the border since the Scottish government announced in January that it would hold a referendum on independence in the autumn of 2014.

With both the Westminster govern-ment’s Scottish Office and the SNP Scottish government releasing consultation papers, the STUC general council is considering its response to the prospect of a referendum.

And with 11,000 Prospect members in Scotland, many of them working for the Scottish government or other public bodies, Prospect is bound to be involved in the debate.

But with more questions so far asked than answered, Prospect will limit its role to watching and reporting on developments, and consulting members and reps on its response to whatever turns out to be the referendum question.

National secretary Anne Douglas, a former STUC president, said: “As a non-political organisation, what we hope to

do is to allow members in Scotland to make informed decisions by producing research papers in the run-up to the referendum.

“We will not adopt a position where we tell members what to do or think.”

That parallels the view of the STUC. Given the range of views that exist among trade union members, the STUC does not intend to reach a definitive position on the merits

of independence. It will, however, consider the broad economic and social impacts of change and promote whatever arrange-ments it believes will assist sustainable economic growth and real social justice.

The STUC has already initiated a process designed to encourage debate on independ-ence among affiliates, with a view to an STUC position being finalised during 2013.

FEB 24 – THE DAY YOU START GETTING PAID AND STOP DONATING YOUR TIMEPEOPLE WHO do unpaid overtime will this year work an average of 55 days for no pay.

That is why the TUC has named February 24 this year’s Work Your Proper Hours Day. It is the day the average person who does unpaid overtime will complete the days without pay that they will work for their employer in 2012.

The TUC is urging people to mark the day – observed for the ninth time this year – by taking a proper lunch break and leaving work on time.

This message ties in with the new ‘WorkTime YourTime’ campaign area of the Prospect website, designed to help members achieve a proper work-life balance.

Worktime Yourtime contains a range of information and resources, from suggestions for simple changes to help regain a feeling of control, to advice on flexible working and other measures to break the long-hours culture or help balance caring responsibilities with work.

A simple calculator can help you tot up how many hours or days you are working for

free, while a spreadsheet will help you keep a tally of unpaid hours to support your case if you try to reclaim the time.

Assistant secretary Aveen McHugh said that in today’s economic climate it was understand-able that many people felt the need to demonstrate commit-ment to their job by working longer hours.

“But there is a big differ-ence between working what is necessary to complete the workload and consist-ently working long hours. Evidence shows that consistently working long hours is likely to adversely affect your health and your productivity. This means

the ‘holy grail’ of a good work-life balance is just as important now as in less challenging economic times.”

Prospect has issued a series of posters to mark the WorkTime campaign, available from www.prospect.org.uk/worktime. For further information and resources on the TUC campaign, including PDFs of posters and leaflets, go to www.workyourproperhoursday.org.uk

1,000 AND TWEETINGTHE NUMBER of Twitter followers of @ProspectUnion has been rising steadily since the account was created, and in January, Prospect gained its 1,000th follower.

October and November 2011 were peak months

for new followers and interactions with Prospect on Twitter, mainly due to the November 30 pensions day of action.

A few members of Prospect staff tweeted from the picket lines and events they attended. We also added a live Twitter feed to the home page of the Prospect website which automatically pulled in all these posts.

Prospect has more recently created a Twitter account for its Young Professionals Network for members aged 30 and under. You can follow the network @Prospect_YPN

Next target for @ProspectUnion: 2,000 followers by the end of the year.

ProspectrepsmeetinginEdinburgh

MALCOLM

COCHRANE

Cuts hit Prospect’s 2011 membershipTHE IMPACT of government cuts and the public sector recruitment freeze took their toll on Prospect membership in 2011.

At the end of the year total membership stood at 118,843, a drop of 2,330 on 2010.

The fall is despite the boom in applica-tions during the pensions dispute in the latter part of 2011, when almost 2,000 members joined in the months of October and November alone.

In all, 8,211 new members joined the union last year, easily exceeded by the 10,541 who left for employment elsewhere, retirement or redundancy.

However, the merger with Aspect early in 2012 will bring in 3,500 new members to the union and push membership back over 121,000.

SigningupattheNationalMaritimeMuseum,Greenwich

Profile

6 Feb-Mar 1/12

Don’t tamper with my report, safety expert warns PMPROSPECT LAST month joined the chorus of protest at the prime minister’s declara-tion that one of his government’s new year resolutions was “to kill off the health and safety culture for good.”

David Cameron attacked what he called the “health and safety monster” at a gathering of small businesses in Berkshire on January 5, and elaborated on his views in a bylined newspaper article.

In London’s Evening Standard Cameron referred to Professor Ragnar Löfstedt’s December report, which the government commissioned, as he blamed the “albatross” of health and safety legislation for holding back British firms.

Cameron wrote: “We’re making some big changes: businesses will no longer have to report minor accidents; up to a million self-employed workers will be exempted from health and safety regulation completely; a new panel will give firms the right to challenge controversial inspection decisions; and from this month, the Health and Safety Executive begins the task of abolishing or consolidating up to half of existing regulations.

“I have also asked that the timetable be accelerated, so most of our changes to Britain’s health and safety regime will be completed this year.”

Along with steps to cap awards in small-value personal injury claims, these measures would help to lift the “culture of fear” Cameron said hangs over British business.

But within days of those comments Löfstedt told the Westminster Legal Policy Forum he had never called for significant changes to legal policy and had found no evidence of a compensation culture.

At the forum, Prospect deputy general secretary Mike Clancy asked Löfstedt if he had concerns about the government’s treatment of his review. The professor replied: “I am concerned about it. I am concerned my review could be misused.

WHAT THE EXPERT SAIDIN NOVEMBER, Professor Ragnar Löfstedt reported: “I have neither seen nor heard any evidence to suggest that there is a case for radically altering or stripping back current health and safety regulation.” In general the regulations are “fit for purpose.”

Lofstedt added that: nearly nine out of ten employers who have had

contact with the Health and Safety Executive see it as a ‘helpful’ organisation

health and safety regulations from Europe are not gold-plated and the government should work more closely with the EU to ensure legislation is risk and evidence-based.

Government should let the Health and Safety Executive focus on saving lives and stop subjecting it to constant reviews, speakers told a Prospect parlia-mentary reception in December. Among the many MPs and peers attending were Jim Sheridan, chair of the all-party health and safety parliamentary group, and Lord Boswell of Aynho. Also present were Peter McCormick, Energy Networks Association; Geoffrey Podger, HSE chief executive, and deputy Kevin Myers; Terry Woolmer, Engineering Employers Federation; Martin Isles, Mineral Products Association; and Andrew Baldwin, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health. See www.prospect.org.uk/news/id/2011/01314

PROSPECT IN TALKS AS SCIENTISTS DISPERSEDAS THE closure of the Forensic Science Service draws near, Prospect is engaged in talks with private forensic provider LGC after it successfully bid to take over a key FSS contract.

Negotiator Steve Thomas said confirmation that LGC had secured the contract formerly held by the Wetherby laboratory to serve police forces in the north-east was “deeply disappointing both for our members, who fought hard to maintain the service in some public capacity, and in terms of the loss of skilled employment oppor-tunities in Wetherby.

“Our members are to be commended for the passionate support they have provided to the police forces of the north-east during the last year when a question mark hung over their own future.”

Prospect had secured assurances that 140 members made redundant in the process, or who will be unable to transfer to the Wakefield police lab, will not be penalised and retain the option to leave under full voluntary terms.

Consultation with both employers is under way to try and ensure that staff who do transfer to LGC go under clear and accept-able terms.

Other areas within FSS where TUPE transfers have been identified include 100 staff from the Lambeth laboratory who have moved across to the Metropolitan Police, and a dozen staff who have taken positions with the Serious Organised Crime Agency.

“But I am not going to go away, I have made my conclusions with policy makers and I want to engage with them.

“To be very clear, [employment secretary] Chris Grayling did not change one word in my review – there are politicians open to evidence and risk-based policy-making.”

Prospect health and safety officer Sarah Page said: “Unfortunately, the prime minister seems determined to ignore the findings of his own advisers and play fast and loose with the facts in a way that can only be harmful to the health of millions of British workers.”

Richard Jones of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health said: “Labelling workplace health and safety as a monster is appalling and unhelpful, as the reason our legislative system exists is to prevent death, injury or illness at work, protecting livelihoods in the process.

“The problem identified by the govern-ment’s own reviews is not the law, but rather, an exaggerated fear of being sued, fed by aggressive marketing.”

Anger as Cameron takes aim at imaginary H&S ‘monster’

Löfstedt – no evidence for radically altering or stripping back current regulation

Cameron – used report to set up hunt for monsters and albatrosses

Prospect parliamentary and campaigns officer Parmjit Dhanda talks to John Robertson MP

Prospect HSE branch chair Neil Hope-Collins

Prospect health and safety officer Sarah Page talks to Jim Sheridan MP

Shadow minister for employment Stephen Timms

Prospect deputy general secretary Mike Clancy (right) with Peter McCormick, Energy Networks Association

Martin Isles, Mineral Products Association (left) with Jim McGovern MP

PICTURES: MARK THOM

AS

Profile

Feb-Mar 1/12 7

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leisure facilities. Prices start at just

£159* per adult and there’s a wide variety of breaks to choose from – whether it’s wine tasting, gardening or dancing, there’s something for everyone!

To benefit from these fantastic savings you must first be a member of CSMA Club – visit csmaclub.co.uk/prospect*Price based on ‘come dance with us break’ departing April 2.

NI payments to rise for thousands in AprilCHANGES TO the system of contracting out of the state second pension will result in lower national insurance rebates for thousands of Prospect members from April.

Anyone contracted out of the state second pension through a personal pension or an occupational pension contracted out on a ‘defined contribution’ basis will cease to be contracted out from April, the Department for Work and Pensions

announced last year.This means that national insurance

rebates paid to their scheme will end and national insurance contributions will increase for members of occupational schemes contracted out on a ‘defined contribution’ basis. Instead these members’ higher NICs will be used to build up a higher state second pension entitlement.

Members of contracted out final

salary schemes such as the civil service pension scheme, final salary sections of the BT scheme, and final salary groups in the electricity supply scheme will see an increase in their NICs as their headline national insurance rebate falls from 1.6 per cent to 1.4 per cent from April. There will be no change to the state second pension entitlement for members of final salary schemes as a result of the fall in rebate.

FEBRUARY DATE FOR CPI APPEALTHE APPEAL by Prospect and five other unions against the govern-ment’s switch to pensions indexation will be heard in the Court of Appeal on February 20-21.

With a combined membership of 1.1 million, Prospect, the FDA, GMB, National Union of Teachers and the Civil Service Pensioners’ Alliance are challenging the chancellor’s right to uprate state and public sector pension benefits by the consumer prices index (CPI) rather than the retail prices index (RPI).

In December the High Court rejected by a 2:1 majority the unions’ argument that the switch to CPI put the government’s desire to cut the deficit ahead of its duty to consider changes in the general level of prices, and was therefore unlawful.

The court also rejected the argument that CPI is not an appropriate indicator of inflation because instead of measuring increases in prices it assumes consumers will switch to cheaper goods.

Unions are appealing against both rulings.

THE GOVERNMENT continued its inept handling of the civil service pensions dispute through January and February, provoking renewed resentment and confusion among members.

In messages to staff from departments and agencies it repeated claims that unions had agreed to key points of its pension changes, though none of the civil service unions has done any such thing.

And it continued to announce the imposition of arbitrary deadlines for reaching agreement on the changes, even though the new scheme is not due to be implemented until April 2015 and the detailed terms have still to be worked out.

Prospect’s position was spelt out to members by deputy general secretary Dai Hudd after the meeting of the civil service sector executive in January.

“The proposals in the December ‘heads of agreement’ offer were put to the executive and noted,” he said. “The committee made clear that a final verdict on the changes could only be given by a ballot of all members. In the event of rejection we would have no hesitation in putting industrial action back on the agenda.”

After hearing a full report of progress in the negotiations with the Cabinet Office, the executive instructed negotiators to extract every last concession possible from the talks.

These are expected to last until late February though so far the official side has shown no sign of moving on its core objec-tives – namely, the CPI switch, a higher

pension age and the introduction of a career average scheme.

The talks have instead focussed around the design of the new scheme and, in particular, the faster rate of accrual envisaged for the scheme, which is modelled on the Nuvos arrangements intro-duced in 2007 for new entrants.

Prospect negotiators are pressing for the Nuvos rate of accrual (2.3 per cent or 1/43rds) to apply to the new scheme, so that despite a higher pension age, many

members would receive pension benefits at least as great as their current entitlement.

Dai Hudd reported that the Cabinet Office had also agreed to strengthen the ‘Fair Deal’ protection for the pensions of members transferred to the private sector, for which Prospect had argued strongly.

Despite these more encouraging signs, there has been no shifting government from its drive to raise contribution rates across public service, in the case of the civil service to an average 5.6 per cent.

Pension talks on a knife-edge

Dai Hudd (second left) joins Prospect members outside the High Court in London at its hearing last year

ELEANOR BENTALL

JOANNE O’BRIEN

Profile

8 Feb-Mar 1/12

DEFENCE

PROSPECT HAS called on the Ministry of Defence to think again about its direction of travel before it drives the department to breakdown.

A report from the Commons defence select committee last month described the imposition of military redundancies as ‘grotesque’ compared to the voluntary severances taking place among civilian staff.

But, the union said, the truth is that cuts to civilians are double the cuts to the armed forces (see chart). More than 10,000 civilians left MOD last year and it plans to cut another 10,000 in 2012. Even worse, the department has just ‘found’ it needs to cut another 3,000 civilians because of an estimated £2bn overspend in 2011.

Responding to the report by MPs, national secretary Steve Jary said: “Lots of criticisms can be made of MOD’s misman-agement of its cuts programme. But the select committee has got this one horribly

DEFENCE MINISTER Andrew Robathan (right) told the House of Commons in January that in 18 months over 10,000 civilians left the MOD.

On May 1, 2010 the figure stood at 89,770. By November 1, 2011 the figure was 79,240. In the same period, the UK’s armed forces shrank by 4,570.

BUILDING CUTS HIT MILITARY HOMES AND COVENANTTHE DEFENCE Infrastructure Organisation, which looks after the defence estate, is the latest casualty of MOD’s drastic cuts programme.

Building magazine reported in January that MOD has placed its £5bn construction and facilities management programme on hold for at least a year. It said: “The construction industry had looked to MOD as one of the few public sector clients with a significant book of work.”

However, DIO is in the throes of a transformation programme that involves changing the way it works and how it uses technology. It is also in the process of adopting a new business model that will involve transferring some or all its opera-tional activities to the private sector.

Worse, DIO faces a staff shortage because of the department’s voluntary early release scheme and is trying to fill the gaps.

Prospect MOD group councillor, Jim Miekle (right)said: “It is a sad indictment of the department when staff learn about major develop-ments through the pages of a trade magazine. Yes, the cuts are hurting. But they will hurt even more if DIO is not able to undertake the £1.5bn refurbishment of over 49,000 UK military homes as planned. This would breach the military covenant.”

FEARS THAT BAE Systems has already taken the decision to close its shipbuilding facility at the historic naval town of Portsmouth grew last month. A spate of press reports prompted an appeal from Prospect for BAE and the Ministry of Defence to be open and transparent about their future plans.

Prospect represents over 300 skilled engineers and other senior professionals working for BAE Systems Surface Ships at Portsmouth naval base.

Negotiator John Ferrett (right) said the company had been less than forthcoming on its future plans for UK shipbuilding. “In October 2010, we were told the company was using consultants, but at no time were we told they were reviewing which of the company’s yards should close. Clearly, when companies take decisions in this way, employees and their representatives have every right to be suspicious.”

BAE has spent the last three years aggregating four legacy businesses in Portsmouth into a single company, with a view to creating a sustainable and integrated business. After completing this process last autumn, BAE then announced – with virtually no consultation – that it would once again split the shipbuilding business from the rest of BAE.

Prospect says closure would spell economic disaster for the local community at a time when it needs highly skilled jobs for economic growth. The union is concerned that under the company’s terms of business agreement with MOD, closing Portsmouth would be the easy option, because all redundancy and closure costs would be met by the taxpayer.

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A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPENwrong. This crisis has its origins in the indis-criminate cuts to specialist staff made by the strategic defence review in 2010.

“The department is already struggling to cope with day-to-day business, and come the summer will face a moment of truth as the cuts really take hold. Will it take another Nimrod disaster for the department to pause and take stock of what it is doing? Prospect

fears this is a disaster waiting to happen.“MOD is driving off a cliff, looking over

its shoulder at a pack baying for civil service blood. Our members have had enough. Morale could not be lower.”

Jary said MOD was cutting the very people it needs to maintain its role as an intelligent customer and provide support to the armed forces. “It just doesn’t make sense. Defence needs the skills and expertise of our members to back up the prowess of the military.” In a survey of Prospect members last November, 82 per cent said they would leave the department tomorrow if they could afford to.

The current wave of indiscriminate cuts is hitting work that MOD still requires, said Jary. “Our members know they can return as consultants, earning twice as much or more. Government clearly values their skills more as consultants than it does when it insults them as ‘pen-pushing civil servants’.”

Jary: Will it take another Nimrod disaster for the department to pause and take stock?

‘Tell the truth about Portsmouth’ Workon

anoffshorepatrolvesselforTrinidadandTobagoatBAEPortsmouth

HMSDaring,builtbyBAEatScotstounontheClyde,leavesPortsmouth

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CROWN COPYRIGHT

Profile

Feb-Mar 1/12 9

JOBS

Cuts warning to chief ministerISLE OF Man chief minister Allan Bell has warned that job cuts and wage restraint are inevitable as the his government seeks to rebalance its finances and cut its £300m wage bill by 10 per cent over the next three years. He said failure to reach these targets “was not an option.”

The chief minister warned that a funda-mental review of the terms and conditions of government employees, along with job losses, would be necessary if savings were to be made.

His words prompted Prospect negotiator Angela Moffatt to warn that the cuts could

trigger industrial unrest on the island. Moffatt, who is also the IoM trade union council president, said: “People want to see leadership by example. If we are to have a fundamental review of terms and condi-tions in the public sector then Tynwald members should start with their own.

“It’s about the perception of fairness. There are far too many politicians with far too generous pensions and pay. The percep-tion is that the cuts are not affecting those further up the chain.”

Along with Manx council employees, Prospect’s 1,500-strong Isle of Man branch

has just voted in favour of a new unified pension scheme. It brings together 15 separate schemes into a single final salary scheme in an attempt not only to simplify arrangements but to make pensions more affordable.

Moffatt said if members had rejected the proposals they would have been balloted for industrial action. “We accept the new unified scheme, but people are deeply unhappy with it.”

She feared that some staff would choose to leave the scheme because of the higher contributions being imposed.

NATS SELL-OFF THREAT IS STILL A BLIP ON THE RADARSPECULATION OVER the ownership of NATS, the UK’s air traffic control provider, mounted in recent weeks as press reports suggested that German airline Lufthansa was set to become an investor.

The Times reported that the German flag carrier was about to acquire a 14.52 per cent stake in the Airline Group – the consortium of carriers that owns part of NATS – in a deal with

bmi British Midland. The story followed speculation last year

that Germany’s state-owned air traffic service Deutsche Flugsicherung was planning a bid for the government’s 49 per cent stake in NATS, which chancellor George Osborne is looking to sell off to raise public funds.

But Prospect has warned against such action. National secretary Garry Graham

said: “We have yet to hear one argument as to why any potential sell-off is in the interests of air traffic management for the UK or our members.

“For the UK to have a credible voice in Europe, and to ensure that safety and service delivery remain paramount, it is vital that the government retains a significant stake within NATS.”

PROSPECT HAS protested to the Cabinet Office at the ‘appalling’ effect on individ-uals of the way the redundancy process at the Central Office of Information is being conducted.

Three hundred people face compul-sory redundancy when the government communications unit shuts on March 31. Around 100 are waiting to hear about being redeployed to other roles.

Some will move into a much-curtailed shared delivery pool within the Cabinet Office; some into a reduced number of regional press and public relations jobs; and others into non-communications roles in the Cabinet Office.

Negotiator Julie Flanagan said: “So far 79 people have volunteered for redun-dancy but only 44 have been allowed to go, although we have passed the 90-day consultation period. Not only is it demoral-ising for volunteers but it means those who want to continue a civil service career have even less chance of getting a new role.

“I have never seen members subjected to so much unnecessary stress and uncer-tainty during a redundancy consultation.”

Prospect, FDA and PCS sent a briefing to MPs in December warning that closure would cost more money in the long run and that replacement arrangements for delivering government communications

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DO YOU NEED HELP?MEMBERS OR their dependants in financial distress can apply to the Prospect Benevolent Fund for help. Amounts up to £2,000 can be granted as a single award, larger amounts with NEC dispen-sation. For an application form write to ‘Prospect Benevolent Fund’ at head office or ask your branch, section or sub-section rep.

‘I have never seen members subjected to so much unnecessary stress during a redundancy consultation’

are inadequate. See: http://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2012/00164

In January Margaret Hodge, chair of the Commons public accounts committee, asked the National Audit Office to assess whether the COI closure represents value for money. But in a letter to Prospect she said this would only be ‘retrospective’ as the process of winding up the trading fund was already so advanced.

Management claims that one reason for deferring decisions on voluntary redundancies was because of the NAO probe, as the Cabinet Office had to ensure potential redeployment opportunities were fully explored.

Flanagan–demoralisingwaitforvolunteers

2008:PaulHarper,IOMGovernmentOfficersAssociationbranch,addressingmembersafterthepensionsproposalswereannounced

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ADE/ISLE OF MAN NEW

SPAPERS

STEFANO CAGNONI

NEWSProfile

10 Feb-Mar 1/12

‘P’ IS FOR PIG TALESHELP THE Civil Service Retirement Fellowship raise funds and you will receive a special CSRF ‘travel’ pig.

All you need to do is make a minimum donation of £5 and CSRF will send you one of their highly popular branded stress toys.

You can then get involved

with their regular eFeaturette, Pig Tales, which showcases the pics sent in and is included in each CSRF eNewsletter.

The pigs are built for global travel, and enjoy a day at the seaside, tea at The Savouy, chilling in an office or visiting their local farmyard, says Russell Brown, CSRF vice-chair and Efra branch secretary.

“Where will you take your pig? One thing’s for sure – with their quirky blue sunglasses firmly in place, these pigs are ready for their close- ups!”

If you would like to

adopt a pig , send your details and a cheque payable to ‘The CSRF’, PigTales Donation, CSRF, Suite 2, 80a Blackheath Road, London SE10 8DA or you can donate online by clicking the ‘Donate’ button on the home page at www.csrf.org.uk

Pull a plane to change a lifeWHEN PROSPECT’S air traffic controllers decided to back a leading British charity, they kept their feet very much on the ground.

In response to a motion at their annual conference, the NATS ATCOs branch decided on Aerobility, which offers disabled children and adults the chance to fly an aeroplane.

As the highlight of a series of fundraising events, the branch has organised the Big Pull to be held on June 2-3 at the historic Goodwood motor racing track near Chichester in West Sussex.

Six teams of controllers, managers and engineers will pull a vintage World War Two aircraft down the Goodwood course in a bid

to raise £100,000 for the purchase of a Piper Archer aircraft, specially equipped for disabled fliers.

NATS has promised to match every penny raised by the ATCOs. Prospect’s national executive will

consider how to help the venture at its next meeting in March.

A kick-off event, the Big Game, raised £4,200 when it was held last September.

Dave Carty, a NATS controller and NEC member

from Prestwick, asked Prospect members every-where to back the Big Pull.

“It’s amazing the effect that taking the controls of a plane can have on people.

“For some, that first flight is enough to change their outlook on disability forever – ‘If I can fly a plane, what else can I do?’”

Some people go on to continue their training as far as gaining a pilot’s licence, and take it up commercially, he said.

On June 2 there will also be a gala dinner and charity auction at Goodwood House. Tickets can be bought at £90 per person (min. 2, max. 14) by emailing thebigpull@gmail.com.

Detailsfromwww.thebigpull.co.uk

INSOLVENCY CUTS POSE LEGAL RISKTHE CURRENT change programme for the Insolvency Service is not evidence-based and will damage standards of service to local users, Prospect has told MPs.

At a hearing on the Insolvency Service in January by the business select committee, Prospect’s branch president Tony Butcher (pictured) said the service delivery strategy now being implemented made blanket assumptions that failed to take regional variations into account.

The service had changed in the last 20 years and had already streamlined operations within local offices, said Tony Butcher. His branch funda-mentally disagreed with the decision to reduce the estate and centralise functions.

The strategy had been costed at £33.5m, but in reality this was incorrect as not everything could move in one ‘big bang’. At a practical level, staff would be moved into eight centres and would have to investigate across very wide areas, undermining efficiency.

Asked by Labour MP Julie Elliott about the impact of redundancies, Butcher said that nearly 500 staff had been lost last year with another 100 to come, which was a third of the workforce. The Insolvency Service might look like it had

maintained output, but there had been an impact on its ability to progress work. Cases had lagged behind, so the backlog would rise in the next year. Morale was “comfortably numb” but the high level of work could not continue indefinitely, he said,

developing points made by the branch in written evidence to the committee.

After Conservative MP Margot James asked about the 11 per cent cut to the investigation budget, Butcher said that 40 experienced short-term appointees had been lost, which had damaged investigatory capacity.

Labour MP Ann McKechin expressed concern over the funding for official receivers. Butcher replied that receivers had to recoup as much as they spent, which was irrational as the

service dealt with people with no money who often could not contribute. Since IS could not recover its costs, by its very nature the funding model was illogical. The last annual report showed that £15m of bad debt had been written off.

Asked by Conservative MP Simon Kirby how more money could be justified in the current economic climate, Butcher said that to reduce staff by more than a third could prevent the service meeting its statutory obligations.

AirtrafficcontrollersAaronCurtis,PaulWinstanley,ChrisEdwards,CliveGell(retired),PeteGlass,MattFloodandVickyEdwardsinfrontofthevintageHarvardtheywillpullalongthemainstraightatGoodwoodmotorracingcircuitfortheBigPull

At Mac Mac Falls, Mpumalanga, South Africa

Profile

Feb-Mar 1/12 11

ENERGY

PROSPECT HAS joined three councils in Cumbria in an advisory partnership to review the siting of a geological repository for the UK’s higher activity radioactive waste.

Allerdale and Copeland Borough Councils and Cumbria County Council are the founding bodies behind the West Cumbria Managing Radioactive Waste Safely Partnership, formed to open talks with the government about the location of a waste site.

The councils reasoned that with 70 per cent of the UK’s radioactive waste already at Sellafield, transportation alone will have a big impact on the region even if the repository is located outside the area.

National secretary Mike Graham said the union had signed up to the partnership as nuclear workers recognised the importance of finding a solution for the long-term disposal of nuclear waste as key to the future of Sellafield and new nuclear build.

“West Cumbria is the centre for nuclear expertise in the UK and we need to keep it that way.

“That is why nuclear workers, on site and in the supply chain, should be making their voices heard during this consultation period and encouraging local politicians to take forward discussions about being the host community for geological radioactive waste disposal.”

If west Cumbria did become the host community it would bring hundreds of jobs and millions of pounds of additional investment to the area, Graham added.

The partnership is running a public consultation exercise until March 23 and members living or working in or near the area are encouraged to have their say. To find out more visit www.westcumbriamrws.org.uk

THE NEXT phase of the renewables obligation will result in the demolition of power stations, the loss of skilled jobs and a wasted opportunity for the UK to lead development in low-carbon technologies, Prospect has warned.

Responding to a consultation on changes to the obliga-tion for the years 2013-17, Prospect says the proposed price banding structure will disadvantage ‘co-firing’ biomass with coal or gas – combinations that would provide short-term solutions to the twin challenges of climate change and security of supply.

Negotiator Mike Macdonald explained that Prospect supports the principle of encouraging different technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions – so having different rates for tidal power and offshore wind would have a benefit. “But it is not helpful to have different banding rates for different mechanisms using the same fuel.”

With the development of clean coal and carbon capture and storage technolo-gies, fields in which the UK could lead the world, Prospect believes all three mechanisms for the use of biomass fuel – co-firing, conversion and new plant – should have a role in the UK’s energy strategy.

Co-firing of biomass provides a relatively swift mechanism for reducing carbon intensity in the short term, while retaining a solid base of plant capable of comple-menting the intermittency of renewable generation and the declining nuclear fleet.

But the proposed bandings would disadvantage co-firing, or converting existing stations to biomass generation, compared to the support offered to new, smaller scale biomass plants. Prospect believes this would put the industry in the perverse position of abandoning existing generation sites with established grid and transport connections.

The submission to the Department for Energy and Climate Change says: “Under current plans

the Drax plant near Selby (left) would be disadvantaged as it is the biggest user of

biomass in the EU. It is a co-firing facility using 15 per cent biomass to 85 per cent coal and providing 600MW of green electricity – several times larger than any stand-alone plant.

“The proposals could also impact on plans to convert E.On’s Ironbridge

plant in Shropshire and Centrica’s gas plant at Brigg.”Given the delays in developing CCS

technology to support the use of coal, Prospect says: “Co-firing provides a valuable

mechanism to provide a reliable electricity supply while sustaining an employment sector with the expertise and ingenuity that will be needed in the shift toward new low-carbon forms of generation.”

The union also calls for support for hydro-electric to be maintained at current levels and for measures to encourage new nuclear build.

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Prospect joins local partners so workers’ voice is heard in nuclear waste debate

Low-carbon opportunity lost An operator controls a remotely operated vehicle deployed to remove contaminated

floor screed at the solid waste storage test facility at Sellafield

BRITISH NUCLEAR GROUP

Profile

12 Feb-Mar 1/12

consequences of fragmenting national pay bargaining.

Interestingly, other protagonists, who defy the label of ‘usual suspects’, have provided evidence on pay and reward that supports longstanding union concerns. Indeed, top pay and bonuses seem rarely to be out of the news. It suits media and political pundits to focus this debate around personalities, sometimes obscuring the more fundamental review that needs to take place. Sir Richard Lambert, former director general of the CBI, made a useful intervention in the Financial Times in January stating that “tying pay to perfor-mance simply does not work”.

Citing research by Warwick University published in the Harvard Business Review,

PAY

STEFANO CAGNONI

I COMMENTED in December’s Profile on the announcements in the autumn statement of the 1 per cent public sector pay gap and the chancellor’s instruction to the pay review bodies to make pay more responsive to local labour markets.

2012 began in similar vein with a parlia-mentary debate on regional pay in which the economic secretary to the Treasury, Chloe Smith, made a series of astonishingly ill-informed claims. She asserted that public sector pay restraint and reforms to local pay policy are key steps to supporting local economic growth, ensuring that private sector recovery is not “crowded out”, and to delivery of high quality public services across the UK.

This is a false diagnosis based on partial analysis by the government’s favourite think-tanks, and will be vigor-ously challenged by Prospect in the months ahead. When all political parties agree that lack of demand is the key economic problem, it is blindingly obvious that reducing public sector pay further in lower-paying regions that already suffer from above-average unemployment will not help economic growth. This approach is more likely to reinforce the north-south divide.

That fear certainly seems to be shared by LibDem MPs, who worry that such an approach will result in a race to the bottom for workers. It is a particular concern in regions such as the south-west, where there is already an endemic problem of low wages, though broader concerns have been expressed by these MPs over the unfair

TheMinistryofJusticeintroducedregionalpayinAugust2007whenitputstaffonfiveregionalpayranges:national,nationalplus,hotspot,outerLondonandinnerLondon.Regionalpayhasbeencriticisedforinstitutionalisinglowpayinlesswell-offregionsandhinderingmobilitybecauseofthecreationofemploymentghettoswherepeoplewillnotwishtomove.ForareportontheCommonsdebateonregionalpayinJanuary,gotowww.prospect.org.uk/news/id/2012/00044

BENEFITS TO MEMBERSJAN 2012

BENEVOLENT FUND Number granted 1 Total granted £1,500

DEATH BENEFIT Number granted 10 Total granted £9,732

PERSONAL INJURY SCHEME

Applications approved 33 On books 479 Number won 14 Value of awards £316,735

ENERGY STAFF BALLOT ON 3.5%MEMBERS IN UK Power Networks are to ballot on industrial action as part of an ongoing pay dispute. Members have already overwhelmingly rejected a two-year offer for 3.5 per cent in year one, and RPI (between a minimum of 2 per cent and a maximum of 4 per cent) in year two.

An earlier consultative ballot indicated strong support for a formal indus-trial action ballot. This prompted management to make revisions to the original offer, most notably by removing the 4 per cent cap on the RPI link.

But the revisions still retained proposals to link car and London weighting allowances to future harmonisation reviews.

Negotiator Azim Hajee said the branch executive would not meet to discuss the revisions until after the ballot had begun. “The strings on this offer make it unlikely that the concessions to date would merit a positive recommendation.” Members in the Powerlink bargaining unit are being balloted on a separate five-year offer recommended by their branch executive for 5 per cent in Year 1, plus 0.5 per cent for subsequent years.

Ministers’ pay agenda is out of touch with the real world

Government’s agenda for regional and performance pay is causing alarm in industry as well as the civil service, says Sue Ferns

Lambert argues that CEO influence on company performance is often smaller than suggested and can encourage execu-tives to take company-killing risks. The Warwick research has applicability beyond the top layer of business, and makes the point that recipients waste energy trying to manipulate performance criteria in their favour while neglecting more important tasks.

There is also growing concern that pay restraint and lack of progression are leading to loss of specialist expertise in government. The Institute for Government warned in early February of an unprec-edented churn of senior civil servants, with a majority of ministers today in post for longer than their permanent secretaries.

Staff turnover rates in some depart-ments are now as high as 30 per cent – the Treasury’s rate is said to be higher than McDonalds’. Jill Rutter, programme director at the Institute and a former senior civil servant, has commented that the govern-ment “will only succeed in seeing its longer-term change plans through if it manages to retain and motivate good people to weather the current turbulence and stick with it.”

Prospect could not agree more – we are acutely concerned with the wider implica-tions of skills loss across government and will be launching our own vision for the future civil service in March.

KEY INDICATORS %Average earnings (inc bonuses, year to Nov) 1.9Average earnings (exc bonuses, year to Nov) 1.9Private sector (inc bonuses, year to Nov) 2.0Private sector (exc bonuses, year to Nov) 2.0Public sector (inc bonuses, year to Nov) 1.9Public sector (exc bonuses, year to Nov) 1.4Retail Price Index (year to Dec) 4.8Consumer Price Index (year to Dec) 4.2

Profile

Feb-Mar 1/12 13

Strike vote doubles pay offerMEMBERS AT the nuclear decommissioning company Research Sites Restoration Limited are being balloted on an eleventh hour pay deal, tabled as plans for a strike got under way.

A ballot of 200 Prospect members at RSRL’s Harwell and Winfrith sites last month showed overwhelming support for industrial action. There was a 74 per cent vote in favour on a turnout of 85 per cent, after talks failed to resolve a dispute over their 2011 pay offer.

Prospect negotiator Richard Tabbner said: “Our members were rightly angry that despite the agreed settlement date of April each year, the company delayed the 2011 award and tried to link it to moves to restructure other terms and conditions.

“We thought progress had been made in November with an agreement to separate negotiations on the two issues. But members were incensed when the company reneged

and linked the offer to a buyout of banked time earned by staff covering the Christmas closure period.”

The original deal rejected by members amounted to a 1 per cent consolidated increase plus 0.9 per cent, in return for the loss of 1.5 days’ holiday for staff having to take leave at Christmas due to RSRL’s decision to close the site.

Tabbner said the leave arrange-ments RSRL was attempting to remove were standard across the nuclear sector, while the pay deal fell short of other stand-alone agree-ments in the 2011 pay round.

Talks resumed after the strike vote and resulted in a revised two-year offer, providing 2 per cent for both years.

The new offer also removes the previous system of banked time earned for Christmas cover. In exchange, it consolidates the 2.5 legacy days retained from their civil service past into annual leave, topped up with another half day, bringing the increased leave entitlement to three extra days.

AUDIT STAFF TAKE FIRST-EVER INDUSTRIAL ACTIONFIVE HUNDRED staff at the Audit Commission are taking industrial action over pensions for the first time in the organisation’s history.

Members in London and nine regional offices are fighting the refusal of the commission’s board to protect their pensions after they are transferred to the private sector.

The Prospect branch went ahead after rejecting a revised offer that would have deferred an upcoming

pensions contribution increase and covered the costs of staff forced to return company cars early because

of the transfer.Action short of a strike

began on January 31, consisting of a work to rule and withdrawal of goodwill. It is in protest at

the commission’s failure to apply the government’s ‘Fair Deal’ on pensions for staff being transferred to the private sector.

The Fair Deal requires that staff are provided with pension arrangements that are ’broadly comparable’ with those they had in the public sector.

The withdrawal of overtime and goodwill will undoubtedly impact on the commission’s ability to deliver end of year audits in

the NHS, local authorities and other public bodies.

Negotiator Richard Hardy said: “We are disappointed that the commission was unable to table an offer that would meet our members’ aspirations. As a result, our members will now take industrial action for the first time in their history.”

The government last year announced it was closing the commission by April 2013 and transferring its work to private sector providers.

Airport ballot on action to harmonise payAIRPORT WORKERS at Dundee are to be balloted on industrial action over a 2011 pay offer and harmonisation with colleagues at other Scottish airports.

Members at Dundee, part of Highlands and Islands Airports, say they do the same jobs as others across the group, but are paid up to £10,000 less.

The company has offered a zero increase, with a £250 rise for those earning less than £21,000, in line with other public sector organisations across the UK.

Prospect members at Dundee airport include firefighters, air traffic control staff, engineers, fuel staff, and admin/check-in personnel.

National secretary Alan Denney said: “Members at Dundee have a simple objective – fair treatment. And that objective is also simple to achieve. HIAL must accept the harmonisation of pay rates across its airports.”

If the ballot is successful, members will take one-day strike action followed by an overtime ban. The overtime ban would affect late-running aircraft from London City airport and the availability of firefighting crews.

Denney said Dundee airport would be obliged to reduce its fire service cover category to 3 or 4 (Heathrow is category 7) which would prevent aircraft from landing at Dundee during the overtime ban.

Last year Prospect won an offer worth 8 per cent for security staff at the 10 HIAL airports after members voted to take indus-trial action in July.

CENTRICA ENERGY OPERATIONSMembers have had an offer for 2011 pay worth 3 per cent, effective from March 31, 2011, imposed by management.

COBHAM AVIATIONMembers have had an offer for 2011 pay worth 1.5 per cent, effective from January 1, 2011, imposed by management.

DRAX POWERMembers have accepted an offer for 2012 pay worth 4.9 per cent, effective from January 1. The deal is the third-year of a three-year settlement.

INTERNATIONAL POWER (RUGELEY)Members have accepted an offer for 2011 pay worth 2 per cent, effective from March 31 2011,.

ORTHO-CLINICAL DIAGNOSTICSMembers have accepted an offer for 2012 pay worth 3.07 per cent, effective from March 1. The minimum increase to individuals is 2.7 per cent.

Tabbner–membersincensedwhencompanyrenegedonoffer

Paycheck

Hardy – members disappointed

RSRLworkerswonbetterpayandleavearrangementsaftera3:1voteinfavourofstrikeaction

UKAEA

Profile

14 Feb-Mar 1/12

GOVERNMENT

Government is not so much joined up as disjointed if its provision of language training is anything to go by, says Katherine BeirneWITH HINDSIGHT comes wisdom, or so the saying goes. Although back in 2007 you would have had to be pretty short-sighted not to question the closure of the language school serving the chief government department charged with promoting British interests abroad.

But, it seems, common sense has prevailed. Last month news came that foreign secretary William Hague has committed an extra £±m a year to reopen a language school in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London.

The facility was closed five years ago in a bid to save £1.5m, with the loss of 104 jobs – a move described by Prospect at the time as ‘ill-thought out and damaging.’ It had served diplomats, MPs and senior public servants, including specialists involved in the fight against terrorism, with tuition in over 41 foreign languages, including Arabic and Farsi.

In a speech last autumn, Hague

described its loss as “much lamented” and having “led to shorter periods of training in scattered locations, without the esprit de corps that comes from our diplomats studying languages together. We ended up with shortages in skilled speakers of Arabic, Mandarin, Afghan languages and even French.”

But it seems that lessons learnt within one department do not transfer to others. Right now the Ministry of Defence is pressing ahead with plans to cut the core activities of its Defence School for Languages in Beaconsfield, affecting tuition in French, Italian, Spanish and Russian among other languages, and axing the posts of 21 linguistic specialists.

While language tuition for countries where MOD has ongoing defence opera-

GOVCO PLAN ‘A DEAD END’PLANS TO transform the Highways Agency into a government-owned company (GovCo) will not lead to greater efficiency or improved performance, unions have warned the transport secretary.

In a joint letter to Justine Greening on behalf of 3,500 HA staff they have challenged the thinking behind a review – ‘A fresh start for the strategic road network’ – undertaken by the chair of the HA board, Alan Cook, in November.

Cook concluded that GovCo status would offer the agency greater autonomy and free it from stop-start investment decisions caused by changing political priorities.

But the unions argue that efficiency could be improved by implementing a set of official recommendations made 10 years ago without the need for a change in status.

Indeed, unions say, the call for greater autonomy is not new, being the rationale around the agency’s creation in 1994 as part of the Next Steps agency programme.

Prospect negotiator John Higgins said: “We agree that the agency needs to be freed from the constraints of stop-start funding but not that a move to GovCo is the correct way to achieve this.

“The efficiencies Cook identified can be delivered by implementing recommendations

made by the Treasury itself in 2002.”In particular, said Higgins, three-year

funding agreements and full end-of-year flexi-bility would provide a funding base to achieve better efficiencies and remove the incentive to spend wastefully at the end of each financial year.

“At present the department uses HA as a cash cow, restricting its ability to employ the staff needed and contracting or expanding its funding according to political whim or vacil-lating priorities. This impedes its ability to make savings through long-term planning.”

The unions also dispute the evidence cited by Cook and say the projected savings identified in his report – £200m over five years – do not take account of the target savings already facing the agency or the progress made to realise them.

Any change to the Highways Agency’s status would distract from the delivery of these savings and the expanded programme of work outlined in the autumn budget, said Higgins.

“Far from unleashing the creativity and energy of staff, a move towards GovCo status would act as a powerful demotivator.”

Prospect is seeking a meeting with Greening before she responds formally to the Cook review.

Plus ça change ... as one door opens, another closes

tions, such as Arabic and Farsi, is subject to separate Treasury funding and is not affected by the cuts, speculation remains that DSL will be moved to London when its headquarters in Beaconsfield closes later this year as part of MOD’s asset cuts in the last spending review.

Prospect rep and former DSL tutor Mark Turner said: “Surely the experience of the FCO should act as a warning to MOD. If the UK is to maintain its international standing then diplomatic and defence training activi-ties should be to the fore of government policy. But once the specialist skills within DSL are gone they will be exceedingly hard to replace.”

Defence minister Nick Harvey has responded to MPs’ questions on the issue by saying MOD is examining links with the Foreign Office. But Mark Turner said DSL members have yet to see real evidence of the “closer collaboration” referred to.

“We would welcome any opportunity to inform and influence this process before the expertise behind the services DSL provides is lost or left to languish, with limited opportunities for redeployment.”

Prospect is calling on MOD to rethink the future of DSL until all possibility of a shared facility with FCO has been explored.

Turner–MODshouldlearnfromtheexperienceoftheForeignandCommonwealthOffice

MarcHoward(left)andhisfatherBillHowardarebothHighwaysAgencytrafficofficersbasedatWatfordGapintheeastMidlandsregion

SimonSheldon-Wilson,directoroftheHAtrafficmanagementdirectorate,toldaconferenceofProspectrepslastyearthattheyshouldbeinvolvedintheagency’srestructuringplans

TONY CHARNOCKELEANOR BENTALL

IAN M L JONES/ALAM

YSTEFANO CAGNONI

Profile

Feb-Mar 1/12 15

Union reps are worth every penny to both members and bossesA new TUC report dispels the myths around facility time created by partisan pressure groups and government ministers

EVERY POUND spent on paid time off for trade union reps in the public sector returns between £3-£9 in accrued benefits, a TUC report said in January.

“That is a return on investment which most investors would rate highly, and which most FTSE 250 companies would struggle to match,” said author Professor Gregor Gall, of the University of Hertfordshire.

The report was commis-sioned in the wake of a spate of attacks on facility time by the so-called Taxpayers’ Alliance – a body which represents nobody – in advance of the government’s forthcoming review of facility time in the civil service and local government.

Prospect deputy general secretary Dai Hudd said: “The report confirms that reps on facility time make a huge difference to the smooth running of organisations, saving millions of pounds.” He added that most Prospect reps also put in many hours of their own time to look after members.

“That is why we will oppose any attempt

to limit paid time off for union duties in the public sector. To do so would be discrimi-natory, as reps in the private sector enjoy exactly the same rights.”

In 2007 a study by the Department for Business calculated the costs and benefits of reps’ work, finding that across the private and public sectors they saved the economy £372m-£977m a year.

The latest TUC report updates these figures, taking account of inflation and an estimate that public sector reps represent 60 per cent of the total. It concludes that in 2010 their contribution saved £267m-£701m.

Savings are achieved because unionised workplaces achieve lower dismissal rates and resig-nations, fewer employ-ment tribunal cases, fewer

workplace injuries and less illness.The TUC report interviewed employers

and full-time reps, including Helen Kenny, branch secretary for Prospect at the Forensic Science Service. Since the FSS closure was announced in 2010, Kenny has been “trying to secure the best possible deal for members from what is ultimately a very depressing situation, and advising manage-ment on the best ways of achieving this.”

www.tuc.org.uk/workplace/tuc-20520-f0.cfm

MINISTER REBUKES ‘INACCURATE’ TAXPAYERS’ ALLIANCETHE PUBLIC-SERVICE baiting Taxpayers’ Alliance came under fire for inaccu-racy on BBC’s Question Time in February.

After TPA campaign director, Emma Boon, called for the development aid budget to be frozen, she was unable to say what the budget was.

Answering her claim that money was squan-dered, development minister Alan Duncan (above) said: “You give quotes to every single paper every day damning aid and you don’t know what the figures are.

“You assert this all the time with no supporting evidence. You accuse us of having bad aid when everything we’ve done is to get value for money, and you always quote the wrong figures. 1 per cent is what we give.”

Of the TPA he added: “I think they jump to conclu-sions and throw lots of quotations into the papers as ‘rent a quote’ without getting their facts right.”

AUDIT OFFICE WARNS OF WORSE TO COMETHE SCALE of the challenges facing govern-ment workers over the next four years has been spelt out in two disturbing reports from the National Audit Office.

In February, the NAO reported on progress made by government departments in reducing costs. It found they had cut spending in 2010-11 in real terms by 2.3 per cent (or £7.9bn) compared with the previous year.

But the NAO warned that departments would struggle to make the long-term changes needed to achieve the further reduction of 19 per cent scheduled for the next four years.

This was “partly because of gaps in their understanding of costs and risks, making it more difficult to identify how to deliver activi-ties and services at a permanently lower cost.”

The audit body warned that “the scale of cost reduction means departments need to look beyond short-term cost-cutting measures and make major organisational changes.”

Prospect deputy general secretary Dai Hudd said that more than 29,000 full-time government staff had lost their jobs between

March 2010 and March 2011.“That was traumatic enough for everyone

involved. But it pales by comparison with the scale of the further cuts about to hit members.”

NAO’s second report was on reorganising government. It said departments expect

to save £2.6bn by March 2015 by reducing funding for administration in public bodies. Nine per cent of these savings are on track for the end of the current financial year, departments estimate.

But a third of those savings come from just two changes – the abolition of the regional

development agencies and BECTA, the educa-tional technology agency.

Most departments have not attempted to estimate the costs of taking on functions previously delivered by ‘disappeared’ public bodies, says the NAO.

It estimates the ongoing costs of trans-ferring functions that have been abolished will account for £425m (15 per cent) of the £2.6bn savings and warns that other parts of government will have to find savings elsewhere to pay for administering these newly acquired functions.

Even these estimates of transition costs are incomplete, the NAO says. In practice, it reckons they will be at least £830m – double the official estimates.

Departments will therefore need to find gross savings of around £3.5bn if they are to meet the net savings target of £2.6bn.

Which means that the pay and jobs pressures on anyone working for government are going to be far tougher than any minister has so far let on.

Hudd – job cuts so far pale into insignificance compared to what is to come

Kenny – advising management

Learningandlistening–Prospectrepsinaction

DID YOU KNOW?UNIONS ARE better at resolving conflicts. The level of employ-ment tribunal claims in unionised workplaces (1.3 claims per thousand staff) is less than half that of non-unionised workplaces (2.9 claims per thousand staff).Source: TUC Touchstone pamphlet The Road to Recovery

PICTURES: STEFANO CAGNONI

‘JOIN US’ FEATUREBOX – This gives quick access to our online joining process. It contains a number of recruitment messages and associated images, and each time you visit the home page you should see different content in this featurebox.

new websiteGet to grips with our

THE PROSPECT site has been completely rebuilt, with a new layout, design and navigation structure. We’ve also added a search facility, and a much more comprehen-sive online news system.

Our content has been re-organised under eight main headings that run across the top of each page:

About Us Become a Member or Rep Select an Industry Advice & Services Campaigns & Events News Resources Members’ Areas

When you click through to these areas you’ll see secondary naviga-tion links on the left-hand side that take you deeper into the content.

‘Advice and services’ is the key area if you’re looking for informa-tion about any of the services and support that Prospect provides to its members.

‘Select an industry’ is a completely new feature on the site, and is a fundamental part of the online news system. We needed to find a way of giving website users quick access to news content that’s relevant to them. ‘Select an industry’ allows us to do this. We identified 13 industries that cover most of our members’ work (we’re adding a 14th to cover members from the Aspect union who’ve just merged with Prospect). Most branches have been ‘allocated’ to one or more industries.

Each industry has its own home page with a list of news stories. It also has a list of all the industry branches, each of which then has a page of its own.

Over time, as we make full use of the system, the branch pages will include lists of news stories and library documents that are particularly relevant to that branch. This system will run in parallel with any eBranch that might already exist.

NEWS STORIES – Our top three news stories are summarised at the bottom left of the home page

EVENTS – This lists important events and meetings from our online calendar. You can click through to see full details of an event along with any associated documents.

NEWS TICKER – This is for breaking news and other short items that we want to draw attention to. Items badged as ‘latest news’ link through to additional content elsewhere in the site. Ticker items change continually while you’re viewing the page, but can be controlled with pause and forward/back buttons.

After 12 months of planning, programming and preparation, the new Prospect website went

live in the middle of December, reports Lynn Stephenson, website officer

WEBSITEProfile

16 Feb-Mar 1/12

CAROUSEL – This enables us to highlight key Prospect issues in a visual way. All items in the carousel link through to content elsewhere in the site. Images and text change continually while you’re viewing the page unless you use the pause button to hold a particular item. The blue dots indicate the number of items in the carousel – click on any of the dots to move forward or back to another item.

QUICK LOGIN BOX – If you know your login details (your membership number or your registered email address, plus your personal password) you can log in from the top of any page of our site. If you’re not sure about your details, leaving both boxes blank and clicking on ‘login’ will take you to the full login screen which includes our password reminder system.

FIRST-TIME USER – If you haven’t used our site before, use the first-time login link.

QUICK LINKS – Once you’ve logged in, the arrow to the right of your name opens up links to four key pages – so they’re always easily accessible:

your member welcome page (see left); edit your main contact details your union officers – a list of your local Prospect reps your member’s area – a page with direct links to your

eBranch and any of your other eStructures.

WEBSITE Profile

Feb-Mar 1/12 17

IF YOU LOG IN FROM THE HOME PAGE, YOU’LL BE TAKEN TO THE MEMBER WELCOME PAGE – If you log in from any other part of the site, you’ll be taken back to the page you started from.

THE MEMBER WELCOME PAGE IS CUSTOMISED FOR EACH MEMBER – The content you see will vary according to what we know about you (which branch you’re in, whether you’re a rep etc):

the list of news stories reflects which industry we think you work in. You can customise this further by selecting additional industries that you’re interested in

the events list should include items that are relevant to your industry group

my reps/useful contacts – details of your local reps and Prospect negotiating team.

CONNECT SECTOR MEMBERS will find some differences – one of them being that they can’t sign up online to Prospect networks. Members of the new Aspect group still have their own website; they can’t yet log into the Prospect site so the customised content above is not available to them.

These issues will be overcome when Prospect’s new membership system is installed.

CHANGE YOUR SETTINGS – This opens up a panel with five tabs: my interests: choose which industries and areas you’re

interested in; join our networks my union roles: check that we’ve got correct details of any

Prospect roles you hold or national committees you sit on my details: check and update your basic contact details magazines: choose whether to receive Profile in print or by

email (also Report magazine if you’re a rep) password: change your website login details.

When you save your changes, the panel collapses again.

Profile

18 Feb-Mar 1/12

LEARNING

THERE ARE still places available for spring and summer courses on Prospect's national education programme – but they’re filling up fast.

Already more than 250 members have been accepted for the 19 courses due to be held. In some cases just a few places remain.

Check the list below to see if there is a course that interests you. Maybe a local problem has prompted you to get more involved in the union, or a national issue like pensions has motivated you to become a rep and seek expertise.

“We’ve never had so many people sign up so early,” said Rodney Wheeler, of Prospect learning services. “Of course there are a host of issues facing people at the workplace, but it also looks like there is a new generation of members coming forward to replace the reps who are leaving, which can only be good news.”

Prospect’s courses cover a wide range of subjects and abilities – from giving reps the confidence to handle personal cases or tackle discrimination at work, to more advanced negotiating skills.

All of our courses are taught by full-time Prospect officers and external specialists as appropriate.

You can apply for a place online at www.prospect.org.uk/education, call the Learning

MAR 13 Equal opportunities/diversity taster New Prospect House London*

15 Helping and advising people at work† Mechanics Centre Manchester*

21-22 Essential skills for union volunteers† Barceló Angel Hotel Cardiff

APR 17-18 Tackling discrimination at work Prospect Office Wimbledon

18-19 Introduction to health and safety†† Barceló Majestic Hotel Harrogate*

25-26 Handling cases in your workplace† Eastbourne Centre Eastbourne*

MAY 1-2 Advanced negotiating skills† New Prospect House London

10 Helping and advising people at work† Barceló Carlton Hotel Edinburgh

15-16 Essential skills for union volunteers† Eastbourne Centre Eastbourne

JUN 6-7 Handling cases – harassment and bullying† Eastbourne Centre Eastbourne

13-14 Negotiating with employers† Hillscourt Conference Centre Birmingham

14-15 Presentation skills†† New Prospect House London

20-21 Introduction to health and safety†† New Prospect House London

26-27 Introduction to employment law Eastbourne Centre Eastbourne*

JUL 3-4 Handling cases in your workplace† Hillscourt Conference Centre Birmingham

10-11 Essential skills for union volunteers† Prospect Office Wimbledon

*Limited availabilityThe † symbol mean that the course has been externally validated as continuous professional development by the CPD Certification Service; the double †† symbol means it is accredited by the Open College Network.

JOIN THE NEW GENERATION ...

... and develop your skills as a Prospect rep on one of the union’s wide range of courses

Services helpdesk on 020 7902 6628 or email learning.services@prospect.org.uk. Our course prospectus can be obtained by contacting Learning Services and is also available online.

All courses are free to members and reasonable travel expenses are paid. Most reps – or members intending to become reps – are entitled to paid time off to attend training courses.

DatesforcoursesfromSeptemberwillbepublishedatwww.prospect.org.uk/educationinMay.

learning services

ProspetlegalofficerMarionScovellatanemploymentlawcourseinEdinburgh

DOUGLAS ROBERTSON

Profile

Feb-Mar 1/12 19

PAY

SOURCE: LABOUR FORCE SURVEY

HEARD THE story about the overpaid public sector worker whose average earnings dwarf those of his private sector counterpart?

Well, it’s fiction, whatever the Daily Mail says to the contrary. Instead of comparing like job with like job, the media persist in taking crude average earnings figures that pay no regard to the very different types of jobs performed in the public and private sectors.

But the facts, as revealed by the Office for National Statistics, show that of all public sector workers, professionals have more cause to be angry at such compari-sons than any other group.

For a key characteristic that determines earnings in any sector is the level of quali-fications. Not surprisingly, employees with a higher level of qualifications tend to earn more than employees with a lower level.

In 2010, says ONS, 38 per cent of employees had a degree or equivalent qualification in the public sector, compared with just 23 per cent in the private sector. This difference persists throughout people’s

BREACH OF PROSPECT’S DATA PROTECTION PROCEDURESEARLY IN December a breach in Prospect’s data security procedures resulted in personal details (but not bank details) of a significant number of members held on the membership system being accidentally released by email to an unknown third party.

Despite strenuous efforts, it proved impossible to get the file returned or deleted. Although the file may never be opened, Prospect decided to act as though the data had been released into the public domain.

A report was made to the Information Commissioner, the employers concerned and the appropriate authorities. Letters were sent to all affected members informing them of the breach, with advice and contact details for queries.

Any member who did not receive a copy of this letter was not affected by the breach.

Prospect put immediate restrictions on data sharing and introduced a set of additional security

measures. The national executive set up an inves-tigation led by Alan Grey, vice-president, which reported in January.

The report found that a combination of human error and procedural failures led to the breach, in particular:

using live data for testing the size of the sample

data set using email to send

the data without applying necessary security measures.

The report recommended: an urgent review of all

Prospect’s data protection policies and practices, utilising external expertise in data protection/IT security where required

reminding all Prospect employees of data protection requirements, and reviewing training and induction procedures

updating data release agreements with all third parties and bringing any deficiencies to their attention.

The NEC noted that staff had co-operated fully with the inquiry and that staff and branch repre-sentatives had made exceptional efforts to limit the impact of the breach.

David Pelly, resources director, said: “Prospect deeply regrets the breach of data security and any anxiety this may have caused members. Since the breach there has been no sign that the data in the missing file has been released more widely or used in any way.

“We continue to monitor the situation closely. The actions put in place by the NEC should ensure such a breach does not recur.”

General secretary Paul Noon added: “This breach should not have occurred and we treat it very seriously. We apologise to all members affected.”

% OF EMPLOYEES BY HIGHEST QUALIFICATION 2010Qualification Public sector Private sector

Degree or equivalent 38 23

Higher education 15 9

GCE A-level or equivalent 19 25

GCSE grades A-C or equivalent 17 23

Other qualifications 7 13

No qualifications 4 7SOURCE: LABOUR FORCE SURVEY

% OF JOBS WITHIN EACH SECTORSkill level Public sector Private sector

2010 2002 2010 2002

High skill 31 23 26 23

Upper middle 28 30 23 24

Lower middle 32 35 37 40

Low skill 9 12 14 13SOURCE: ANNUAL SURVEY OF HOURS AND EARNINGS

careers. Assessed by skill level there is a larger percentage of workers in the two highest skill groups in the public sector (59 per cent) as compared with the private

Noon – apology to all the members affected

sector (49 per cent).Thus overall, the public sector consists

of a higher qualified workforce than the private sector, which should translate into higher average earnings in the public sector compared with the private sector.

In fact, as the bar chart shows, for all individuals with a qualification up to higher education level, people in the public sector earn on average more than those in the private sector.

However, for those with the highest level of education (a degree or equivalent – Prospect’s chief catchment area) ONS says employees in the public sector earn, on average, 5.7 per cent less than employees in the private sector.

This means that at the very levels where you would expect the public sector to be in the lead it is actually lagging behind. And vice versa, for less qualified workers.

It is hard to find a better argument for Prospect’s case that pay rates for higher qualified professionals in the public sector are out of kilter with the market and seriously under-valued.

Higher education

Degree or equivalent

GCE A-Level or equivalent

GCSE grades A-C or

equivalent

Other qualifications

No qualification

AVERAGE PUBLIC/PRIVATE SECTOR PAY GAP BY QUALIFICATION, 2010 UK

PAY – it’s a professional problem%

Pay

gap

(pub

lic m

inus

priv

ate

sect

or)

6

4

2

0

-2

-4

-6

LAST SUMMER, Prospect responded to an urgent appeal to help victims of the 2011 drought in the Horn of Africa by presenting Oxfam with a £25,000 cheque.

More than £14,000 of that came from a fund started by the union’s predecessor 25 years before in response to an earlier famine that swept Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Sadly, but not surprisingly, a report released by Oxfam with Save the Children this January pointed out that an estimated 50,000-100,000 people have died and more than 13 million people are still affected by the 2011 east Africa drought.

Yet thousands of lives could have been spared if agencies and governments had heeded the warnings from aid agencies about the scale of the crisis. Alarmingly, the ‘Dangerous Delay’ report predicts a similar crisis in west Africa unless action is taken now.

“Waiting for a situation to reach crisis point before responding is the wrong way to address chronic vulnerability and recurrent drought in places like the Horn of Africa,” the authors say. They believe the answers include better risk-reduction strategies, greater funding flexibility and preventative humanitarian work.

Sustainable, long-term projects aimed at preventing crises are the hallmark of Oxfam’s work. It’s that approach which has inspired Prospect support over the years – between 1986 and the end of 2011 members donated a total of £837,283 to this work.

Few of those old enough to remember will forget October 1984 and the shocking BBC news reports from Ethiopia and Eritrea showing millions of people starving to death. In Britain musicians came together and recorded “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, raising £8m. The following summer a series of huge Live Aid concerts raised another £150m.

The terrible events in the region also moved members of Prospect precedessor IPCS to pledge at their 1986 conference to raise £50,000 a year for five years for Oxfam.

“We have all seen on television the listless bodies, misshapen from disease and starvation,” the national executive’s Mike Ridout told delegates. “The problem now is not the immediate threat of starvation, it is the desperate need to rebuild shattered communities, places where there are no cattle, no seed, no tools and no established communities.”

Covenants were encouraged, enabling members to donate monthly from their bank accounts, later supplemented with a give-as-you-earn scheme.

It was the start of a fruitful and long-standing relationship between Prospect and the agency.

Over the years, members organised fund-raising activities as diverse as sponsored bike rides, diets, fasts and blood transfusion sessions; collections at branches and schools; and even a beautiful baby competition.

Most recently, members’ donations have

THE PROJECTS YOU BACKED ERITREA (1986-91) IPCS

donations went towards a series of short projects in Eritrea, ultimately backing a four-year development programme training small farmers to use agricultural equipment and provide seeds and equipment – an issue where IPCS members themselves had wide expertise.

NICARAGUA (FROM 1991) A project helping poor farmers in Las Minas, Nicaragua, through a livestock loan scheme.

INDIA (FROM 1991) A water aid project helping farmers in Maharastra, Western India.

YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE

When famine swept east Africa in the early 1980s, Prospect members were galvanised into action. Twenty-five years later, they are still supporting Oxfam projects designed to put poor people in charge of their lives and livelihoods

STEFANO CAGNONI

OXFAM

±Ω88: An Eritrean family on their parched land

Profile

20 Feb-Mar 1/12

±Ω86: Launching

the campaign at

annual conference

supported a three-year irrigation project in Zimbabwe. As Profile goes to press the union is in discussions with Oxfam about running a joint project in Kenya, working with the energy union KETAWU to mitigate climate change and improve the position of women.

Prospect general secretary Paul Noon, who retires in December, is proud to be part of the union’s involvement down the years. Connections with Oxfam go back as far as the Biafran war of the 1960s.

“The world was shocked by images of starvation in Africa in 1984,” he says. “Led by former general secretary Bill McCall, the union decided to do something practical by supporting longer-term development projects as well as immediate famine relief.”

Noon added: “When I became general secretary in 1998 I was determined to continue this work, and I am sure the link will endure after my departure.

“Prospect members have shown their compassion and concern on numerous occasions and proved that as a union we do not just focus on the self-interest of members, but genuinely care about the wider world.”

YoucandonatetoProspect’sOxfamappealbysendingacheque,payableto‘IPMSOxfamAppealFund’,toKayLancaster,NewProspectHouse,8LeakeStreet,LondonSE17NN.Pleasestatethatyouwantyourdonationtreatedasgiftaidsothattaxreliefcanbereclaimed.

THE PROJECTS YOU BACKED HAITI (2005) Livelihood

support for small-scale coffee producers.

CAMBODIA (2007) Project to minimise the impact of flooding on the lives and liveli-hoods of people and commu-nities along the Mekong and Tonle Sap river systems.

KENYA (2008) Project to set up and equip ten new mobile schools (below) for children of nomadic families.

ZIMBABWE (2009) Food security and irrigation project next to the Ruti dam, training and building the skills of small-holder farmers.

‘ YOUR SUPPORT IS CRUCIAL’

“PROSPECT IS one of Oxfam’s longest-standing partners, and we are very grateful for the union’s support over the last 25 years,” says Audrey Bronstein (above), Oxfam’s acting international programmes director.

“From the Eritrean food crisis back in 1986, our relationship has gone from strength to strength. Your support has been crucial to projects all over the world, from Haiti to Zimbabwe, Nicaragua to Cambodia, helping thousands of people to work their way out of poverty.”

She says Prospect’s backing for Oxfam’s work in east Africa in 2011 helped provide vital supplies of clean water, food, shelter and hygiene resources to three million affected people.

“Without the kind support of partners such as Prospect, this life-saving work would not be possible. On behalf of all of us here at Oxfam, I’d like to express our sincere thanks to Prospect and its members for your incredible support and generosity over the last 25 years.”

THE UNION’S work with Oxfam features in a new Prospect booklet “A world of difference – a contribution to the Millennium Development Goals.” It also sets out the work of the union’s Bargaining for International Development project, funded by government. Order a hard copy from central.services@prospect.org.uk or download a PDF from http://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2011/04095

Ministry of Agriculture member Bev Cooper raised £225 for Oxfam through sponsored blood donation in 1988

JOHN HARRIS/REPORTDIGITAL.CO.UK

AMI VITALE/OXFAM

≤∞∞∑: Oxfam coffee growing project in Haiti

Profile

Feb-Mar 1/12 21

Physicists, lab assistants, engineers, librarians, meteorologists, botanists – Prospect

president Nigel Titchen visited them all on a whistle-stop tour of picket lines on the November 30 pensions day of action

England I was impressed by the number of prominently displayed Prospect logos proclaiming our message. The staff in headquarters and the regional offices had done us proud.

I spent the morning driving across much of central southern England, meeting members from all walks of life and standing with them on their picket lines. For many, it was the first time that they had ever done something like this. For others it brought back memories

of the time two decades ago when they were last forced to stand up for their rights. The pickets were very profes-sional and went about their business in a calm and orderly way, engaging with non-members entering their site. They explained why it was wrong that public servants should have to pay more, work longer and get less in order to clear up a financial mess that was not of their making.

I met members who were nearing the end of their careers and for whom pensions were a looming reality; I also met young members for whom retirement was a distant prospect yet who felt just as passionately as their older colleagues that the government’s proposals were wrong.The atmosphere on picket lines was good-natured,

DAWN WAS breaking – clear, dry and bright – as the radio crackled into life and announced that this was the day of the biggest public sector strike for a generation.

As I prepared my handouts, placards, camera and butties the announcer struggled to explain the complexity of our cause, but the message was clear. Ordinary hardworking and conscientious public servants had reached the end of their tether and were now prepared to make a stand in defence of their pensions.

My plan for the day was to visit as many picket lines and demonstrations as I could so I urgently packed my car in the dark and fired up my trusty satnav before setting off from my home, near Exeter, Devon.

Many setpiece demonstrations had been planned for the major cities where press coverage and senior trade union leaders would converge. But I wanted to get out and meet as wide a cross-section of members as possible on picket lines outside their workplaces.

Full-time staff in New Prospect House had worked tirelessly over the previous fortnight, sending out banners, posters, handouts, flags, jackets and armbands to local sections, who would today use them to get the message across in their communities. As I drove across southern

EarlymorningwithmembersattheCentreforEcologyandHydrology,Wallingford

TITCHENONTOUR

Profile

22 Feb-Mar 1/12

DAY OF ACTION

Above,NigelonthepicketlineswithmembersatCulhamScienceCentre,Abingdon

I had covered more than 300 miles and as I got home I reflected on the day. From a national perspective it was an unqualified success

almost carnival-like in some cases, yet the anger felt by ordinary members was palpable. In some cases whole families had turned out to demonstrate and march. This was not a hotbed of revolutionaries wanting to overthrow the state, as some in the media would have you believe – these were ordinary, hardworking decent people who believed passionately in the justice of their cause and who, somewhat reluctantly, felt they had to make a stand for this and future generations.

Prospect was far from alone and I hooted my support at the picket lines of sister unions outside schools, public buildings, hospitals and other workplaces. The reports on the car radio of a low turnout for the strike were not borne out by the scenes that I witnessed – this was without doubt the biggest countrywide demonstration in a generation.

After a coffee and bacon butty at Culham Science Centre I left the picket lines behind and headed into the centre of Swindon to join the tail end of the local march. After a short time at the rally it was off to Oxford to join the back of a second protest. Although I did not get to march with Prospect members, I was surrounded by like-minded trade unionists who made me very welcome and shared their lunch with me.

By the time the rallies had dispersed it was already dark and I drove back listening to the conflicting reports of events. I had covered more than 300 miles and as I got home I reflected on the day. From a national perspective it was an unqualified success. Prospect members had joined the day of action in their droves and our message had come across loud and clear, across the land.

From a personal perspective, having visited over 16 picket lines and two separate marches and rallies across central and southern England, I felt proud to have had the opportunity to witness the real ‘big society’ in action – hardworking public servants who were prepared to give up a day’s pay to protect their rights and those of future generations.

Meeting and supporting those members on the pensions day of action was one of the most humbling experiences of my career and one that I will always treasure.

TITCHENONTOUR

DroppinginonmembersfromDiamondLightSourceattheScienceandTechnologyFacilitiesCouncil,Harwell

Profile

Feb-Mar 1/12 23

DAY OF ACTION

CLAMBERING FOR PROSPECT

Nothing if not ambitious, these Prospect organisers. Fresh from helping to co-ordinate a fundraising cycle ride in aid of the Paralympics, Louise Staniforth is stepping out again in May – this time all the way to the top of Snowdon. What started out as a personal challenge for Louise and other Prospect staffers, has now evolved into a recruitment challenge with a difference. The plan is for the trekkers and hopefully a local Prospect rep to accompany a non-member to the top of the mountain and plant a Prospect flag on the summit. There they will sign the non-member into membership – after making sure that the whole happy event has been caught on camera, of course. Anyone interested in accompanying Louise and co on their ascent for what should be a fun day, please email louise.staniforth@propect.org.uk

FELINES FOR FAIRNESS

You know the campaign against public sector job cuts is reaching all parts of the body politic when events like Punk Pussy Cats Against the Cuts start to spring up. Not to mention groups like Black Activists Rising Against the Cuts, and Save Future Midwifery in Scotland. The Pussy Cats’ show (“we’ll be getting our claws into the cuts”) is in Sheffield on February 17 at the Plug in Matilda Street, for anyone interested.

WHO ARE THESE YOUNG TURCS?

The mis-named Trade Union Reform Campaign has received much press coverage for its dubious claims

that taxpayers are spending £113m on funding facility time for public sector trade union reps. Interesting to note that its chair is the Conservative MP for Cannock Chase, Adrian Burley. David Cameron recently sacked Burley as parliamentary private secretary at the Department for Transport after it emerged he had hired a Nazi costume worn by his friend at a stag party. Then there is TURC’s chief executive, a certain Mark Clarke, former chair of Conservative Future; while the group’s parliamentary adviser is Harry Cole, news editor of the right-wing Guido Fawkes blog. At

their launch in January the keynote speaker was that well-known dispassionate observer of trade

union life, Eric Pickles, the communities and local government secretary. All a bit too close for comfort for a government that claims to be clamping down on the

power of lobbyists. More interesting info at the union-news.co.uk

website.

BEHIND THE EURO-CURVE – AGAIN

Remember Katrina and the Waves’ 1997 Eurovision win (Love Shine a Light)? Sadly, their fame failed to cut it with energy minister Charles Hendry when he compared the UK’s record on renewable technology

with the rest of the European Union. Telling delegates at a recent Prospect energy seminar that it was scandalous that the UK is third from bottom in the EU in its use of renewables, he added: “We are just ahead of Malta and Luxembourg which may sound good in the Eurovision song context but in anything else is pretty unimpressive.” Apparently we’re not walking on sunshine either.

CUT THE NEUTRINOS, MOD

Quantum physics and dark matter are a lot easier to understand than MOD’s entangled stories of civilian job cuts. On a day of confusion in January it seemed everyone knew how many staff the Ministry of Defence is going to make redundant by 2015 – except MOD. First, it confirmed to the Guardian that another 3,000 jobs would go on top of the extra 7,000 it announced last year, which in turn were on top of the 25,000 it said it would implement in 2010. Then it changed its mind and contacted defence correspondents to say the 3,000 was an “anticipatory element” of the extra 7,000. Then it changed its tune again and denied the extra 3,000 losses even existed. Still, the shenanigans may inadvertently prove the theory that something can simultaneously be in two places at the same time. Give me Stephen Hawking and black holes any day.

KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY

After Prospect expressed its support for the locked-out art handlers at Sotheby’s in New York, the union received a letter of thanks from the general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a certain James Hoffa. “One of the things I never thought would happen was to get a letter from Jimmy Hoffa (even if only Junior)”, said general secretary Paul Noon. Legendary Hoffa Senior, of course, vanished for ever in 1975. The latest on the lock-out is that the art handlers have been deprived of their health care insurance, which means that there will be more protests when Sotheby’s holds its next art auction in London on February 15.

WHO ARE YOU TODAY?

Prospect’s website team deals with hundreds of queries about the member login process. One of the most common problems is that somebody forgets the answer to their security question as well as their password. The former is used to verify their identity so we can release their password; it’s supposed to be a personal but purely factual question that leaves no room for misinterpretation or doubt. Lots of people don’t quite get it, though, and they create a security Q&A that can only let them down. This month’s favourite: “What is today’s date?”

UNiON

Nigel’ssnapofnegotiatorDavidLuxtononthepicketlineoutsideCulhamScienceCentre,Abingdon

Profile

24 Feb-Mar 1/12

NOVEMBER 30, 2011

PICTURE PERFECTIF THERE’S a better picture from the pensions day of action we haven’t seen it. On November 30, members of Prospect, PCS and the FDA came together and lined up for a mass picket outside the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. More than 100 members from the Science, Natural History and V&A Museums took part in a fitting tribute to a great day. Thanks to photographer Stefano Cagnoni for catching the moment.

Profile

Feb-Mar 1/12 25

NOVEMBER 30, 2011

Calvin Allen is a researcher working from home in PerthDescribe yourself in four words.Be glad you’re alive.What do you like or dislike about members?That sometimes members look to us to provide a solution when the solution lies with them.

Which aspects of trade unionism particularly appeal to you?The struggle to re-establish the view that collectivism and solidarity are valid ideals, despite the individualistic direction in which we’ve been headed over the past thirty years.Would the grass be greener for you somewhere else?Grass is only greener where it’s wetter...Do you have any hidden talents?I am an experienced editor (outside Prospect) and, apparently, I make a mean mixtape. I also love being in the kitchen – and not only in a Jona Lewie kind of way.What is your most embarrassing moment?I think it’s buried too deep to recall. I do remember trying to chat to someone on a train – the tumbleweed moment I experienced in a very crowded place still makes me shudder!What or who gets you rattled?24-hour broadcasting and the consequent decline in editorial and production standards. Churnalism, indeed. Less is more, people!What’s on your iPod?Some 7,000 items, last time I noticed. In heavy rotation at the minute are Bombay Bicycle Club, Gillian Welch and Rodrigo y Gabriela.What’s your favourite book?Roddy Doyle’s ‘A Star Called Henry’ – a right rollicking, rambunc-tious tale of a larger-than-life character at the time of Irish independence. Prada or Primark, Monsoon or M&S?Don’t think I had this amount of choice back in ’86... I’m a simple threads guy, really, though most recent extravagance was a jacket from Austin Reed (it was in the sale – shh!).How are you beating 20 per cent VAT?I thought you couldn’t beat the taxman...What would you like to change most about the world?I’d end the rewards available for greed and ensure that these were properly re-distributed.What would you do if you were invisible for the day?Relocate to Zurich and repeatedly kick Sepp Blatter up the backside.

MEET

TEAM

We don’t think we are being too hard on Mr Selwyn Lloyd if we say his pay pause policy was always unworkable

in practice and has succeeded in the end only in making bad blood all round. Staff employees in the public services have been treated particularly unfairly. Their long devotion to the cause of constitutional negotiations, avoidance of strikes and respect for arbitration has been taken advantage of in the most cavalier way. What is the good of preaching the virtues of industrial peace and the impartial settlement of disputes if when advantage comes to employees from sticking to these principles, the government can halt the process whilst allowing the rest of the community to carry on as usual without let or hindrance?Electrical Power Engineer, February 1962

While engaged on supervisory duties in a prison workshop last April a Technical Class Officer of our Prison

Commission branch was struck in the abdomen by a piece of metal which had spun off a wood turning lathe. The metal entered his stomach, causing serious internal injuries. His recovery has been slow although sufficiently satisfactory to justify a settlement of his claim for a total sum of £875. No question of repayment of salary arises as the claim was made against the department.State Service, February 1962

1962

FEATURESProfile

26 Feb-Mar 1/12

Defence cuts, pensions, NATS, Audit Commission, female refsA ROW over job cuts at the Ministry of Defence resulted in high-profile coverage for Prospect in January from theGuardian,BBC,FinancialTimes,DailyMailandIndependent, to name just a few.

Dozens of regionals also picked up on national secretary Steve Jary’s warnings that MOD was ‘heading for a cliff edge’, with 3,000 more civilian jobs being axed on top of 25,000 previously announced.

Many quoted him saying: “The MOD is driving off a cliff, looking over its shoulder at a pack baying for civil service blood. Our members have had enough. Morale could not be lower.”

Days later the BBC and FTreported the warning by deputy general secretary Mike Clancy that the MOD white paper, National Security Through Technology, would do nothing to arrest the decline in defence jobs and skills across the UK.

Local reps secured regional publicity for their campaigns against the closure of Vector Aerospace and two defence bases in Cumbria.

TheGuardianand various local papers quoted negotiator John Ferrett on fears that BAE plans to stop ship-building in Portsmouth.

Pensions remained high on the agenda with several nationals honing in on the imposed public sector pensions contribu-tion increase from April. TheTelegraph,Mirror,Mail,Express and many regionals reported deputy general secretary Dai Hudd’s observation that this is ‘a blatant tax on civil servants’.

General secretary Paul Noon was interviewed on BBCBreakfastand SkyNews about the government’s ‘heads of agreement’ offer. BBCWalesandScotland radio interviewed pensions officer Neil Walsh, and

parliamentary officer Parmjit Dhanda was on BBCNews24.

ProfessionalPensions,MunicipalJournal,CivilServiceWorld and various regionals reported on Prospect’s Court of Appeal case challenging the uprating of pensions by the consumer prices index.

Industrial action at the Audit Commission was mentioned in TheTimes. The action, over the future of pensions once staff move into the private sector, was also reported on RadioDevon,RadioManchester and in many regionals.

On energy, WorkplaceReport covered Prospect recognition at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. The NorthWestEveningMail quoted Sellafield branch secretary Steve Nicholson’s hopes for a new MOX plant.

Prospect’s concerns about a German bid for a stake in NATS, the air traffic control provider, were aired in the DailyStarandSouthernDailyEcho. National secretary Garry Graham said full-scale privatisation could undermine service delivery and government should retain its stake in NATS.

The IsleofManExaminerraised negotiator Angela Moffat’s concerns about job cuts and wage restraint on the island. And the axing of Forensic Science Service sites at Wetherby and Huntingdon was reported in their respective local papers.

SafetyandHealthPractitioner covered a Prospect safety event at the Houses of Parliament.

Last but not least, dozens of nationals and regionals gave voice to national secretary Alan Leighton’s criticism of the Ipswich Town football manager’s comments about a female assistant referee.

Prospectstories

thathaveappearedin

mediaacrossthecountry

inrecentweeks

ANDREW FOSKER/REX FEATURES

AssistantrefereeAmyFearnwasdefendedbyProspectnationalsecretary,AlanLeighton,aftercomingunderfirefromIpswichTownmanagerPaulJewell

Profile

Feb-Mar 1/12 27

A massive deterrent to justice

LAW AT WORK

Marion Scovell answers your questions about the world of work

LegalEase

UNFAIR DISMISSAL CRITERIA

I have heard that from April an employee will need to be employed for two years in order to be able to claim unfair dismissal. I have been in my job for 15 months and have been notified of a disciplinary charge against me. I am worried that the employer will string out the process until after April. Would I be able to challenge any dismissal after that?

The government has announced it is increasing the qualifying period to bring a claim of unfair dismissal from one to two years, and that this will be in force from April 2012. Prospect is appalled that this decision was made and believes that all workers should have the right to challenge dismissals on the grounds of fairness. The government has not yet published the new regulations, but there has been an announcement that the new rules will only apply to employees

starting a new job on or after April 6, 2012. This will mean that as you started your employment before April, you will still have a one-year qualifying period and would be able to bring a claim to the tribunal to challenge the dismissal. Seek advice now from your Prospect representative to get assistance in challenging the disciplinary charge.

STATUTORY REDUNDANCY PAYI work for a small company that will be making redundancies. We do not have any contractual redundancy rights so we will only be paid statutory redundancy pay. I know the amounts depend on age and length of service. I have been working here for five and a half years, am 35 years old, and earn £55,000 a year; can you tell me how much I would be entitled to?

Statutory redundancy pay is based on a formula depending on the age and length of service of the employee. For each full

year’s employment between the ages of 21 and 41, you would be entitled to one week’s gross pay. For each year at 41 and over you would get one and a half week’s pay and for those aged under 21, it is half a week’s pay. However a week’s pay is limited to a maximum of £430 per week, regardless of how much you actually earn. There is also a maximum length of service of 20 years to be taken into account, so the maximum payment is currently £12,900. These are new figures that were recently increased and apply to all redundancies occurring on or after February 1, 2012. So in your case the statutory redundancy payment would be £2,150 (£430 per week for five years’ employment).

Thesearebriefanswerstotheissuesraisedandshouldnotbetakenasadefinitiveoutlineofthelaw.InallcasesyoushouldseekadvicefromyourProspectfull-timeofficer.

Planned changes to employment tribunals in April and beyond will make it harder and more expensive to bring claims, says Alison Humphry

IN 2011, the government began consulting on so-called ‘reform’ of the employment tribunal system to deal with its perception that there are too many claims in the system, and that small businesses face too much red tape. In addition there is the issue of public sector cuts, which has put added pressure on the tribunal system.

However, some of the proposals, which now seem certain to be implemented, may well only achieve results at the expense of working people’s access to justice.

FeesIt now seems likely that fees will be introduced for employ-ment tribunals – an initial fee to lodge a claim, and then a further fee for proceeding to a hearing. The level of fees has not yet been set; but all the indications are that they will amount to several hundred or even thousands of pounds, just to get to a hearing.

Rebates may apply for those out of work to bring unfair dismissal claims. But what of other justified claims? Equal pay, TUPE and discrimination cases are complex and would often be difficult to resolve locally as they may have impli-cations for large numbers of workers. They can often be worth just a few hundred or thousand pounds per year. For instance, a discrimination-based harassment claim may be fully justified – but only worth £5,000 in injury to feelings.

If an employee or union has to put up £500 to lodge their claim and a further £1,000 to pursue it (especially in cases where there may be a large number of claimants), there is no question that this would be a massive deterrent. That way the government is likely to achieve its aim of having fewer claims in the system.

But will those be the right claims to weed out, or will equality and justice suffer in the name of ‘efficiency’? And will this comply with European law and provide an appro-priate remedy?

April 2012 reformsReforms not requiring primary legislation will be enacted in April. These include:

allowing judges to sit alone in unfair dismissal cases without ‘wing’ (lay) members. This will undoubtedly save on cost – but the industrial experience of the wing members in

determining what is reasonable in a dismissal case, will be missed

changes to the limits for costs orders and deposit orders, so that the tribunal can order higher costs where it considers

a claim has been unreasonably brought (or defended)

the removal of witness expenses. This is likely to benefit employers rather than employees; employers will be more likely to pay the expenses of their witnesses than employees

witness statements in tribunals being taken as read.

After April 2012The government intends to enact

primary legislation to introduce the following changes:

Early conciliation. ACAS will be required to provide ‘early concili-ation’ on claims. Broadly, this will

mean that before a claim goes to the tribunal there will first be a require-

ment to lodge a claim with ACAS for conciliation. Financial penalties for employers who contravene

legislation. It is proposed that employers who contravene certain employment laws may need to pay penalties in addition to any compensation. These penalties will go to the government, not to the employee. This might be good news, although there is little detail of how this will work. It is interesting that the government will reap the benefit although it will be the employee who takes the risk of bringing proceedings and paying issue fees.

Effective workplace resolution. The rhetoric of the reforms is about having more effective pre-claim resolu-tion and reducing red tape for employers. Of course, in practice, a great many employees already have effective workplace-based dispute resolution processes – through their recognised trade union.

Overall, as individual legal redress becomes more expensive and more difficult to access, the benefits of being a member of a trade union are going to become still more obvious.

Alison Humphry is an employment solicitor in Prospect solicitors’ Russell Jones & Walker’s award-winning employment team.

As individual legal redress becomes more expensive

and more difficult to access, the benefits of

being a member of a trade union are going to become

still more obvious

RETIRED MEMBERS

MEETINGS

Profile

28 Feb-Mar 1/12

NOVEMBER 24-JANUARY 22Prospect regrets to announce the deaths of the following members, notified to headquarters between November 24, 2011 and January 22, 2012:

Mr S G Amatt 05/01/12 Scottish and Southern Energy GroupMr R A Anderson 04/01/12 CE Electric UKMr W Andrews 10/01/12 London Central Retired Members GroupMr V Ashton 28/11/11 National GridMr R G Barrell 24/11/11 South East Midlands Retired Members GroupMr A W Baxter 10/01/12 E.On UKMiss K H Bell 06/12/11 Sellafield LimitedMr T G Bennett 10/01/12 South East England Retired Members GroupMr L Bradshaw 16/01/12 South West Midlands Retired Members GroupMr M J Carling 19/12/11 Avon Valley Retired Members GroupMr B F Carr 10/01/12 National GridMr R H A Charlesworth 21/12/11 EDF SeeboardMr G Coates 03/01/12 Eastern GroupMr J Collins 21/12/11 British EnergyMr M J M Cook 23/12/11 Avon Valley Retired Members GroupMr R C Cook 11/01/12 Scottish PowerMr D T Curtis 10/01/12 Thames Valley Retired Members GroupDr P J Darley 20/01/12 South West Midlands Retired Members GroupMr J R F De Klerk 25/11/11 Thames Valley Retired Members GroupMr L Donegan 05/12/11 InnogyMr R Edgar 05/01/12 National Physical LaboratoryMr J D Edwards 11/01/12 English HeritageMr N England 16/12/11 Audit CommissionMr G B English 19/12/11 CE Electric UKMr S C Everett 19/01/12 London ElectricityMr D A Ferraro 19/01/12 Wales Retired Members GroupMr W D Fryer 05/01/12 Eastern GroupMr J Geary 03/01/12 Eastern GroupMr A Gibbs 16/01/12 British AerospaceMr D B Giles 16/01/12 South East England Retired Members GroupMr G M Glasgow 05/01/12 Scotland South Retired Members GroupMr B H Grant 09/01/12 South East England Retired Members GroupMr L E J Green 16/12/11 Scottish PowerMr T Greer 20/12/11 North West Retired Members GroupMr J W Griffin 10/01/12 National GridMr H Halstead 20/12/11 British EnergyMr R H Hastings 10/01/12 InnogyMr P L Hawley 16/12/11 East Anglia Retired Members GroupMr P J Higgs 15/12/11 East Anglia Retired Members GroupMr W R E Ings 30/11/11 National GridMr J S Jack 03/01/12 Scottish PowerMr I C E Jackson 11/01/12 Thames Valley Retired Members GroupMr G Johnston 19/12/11 Magnox Nuclear North and South SitesMrs A J Jones 02/12/11 Midlands Regional BranchMrs P Knowles 08/12/11 Office for National StatisticsMr J N K Leng 18/01/12 National GridMr A W L Mahon 03/01/12 Southern Retired Members GroupMr D R Mansell 24/11/11 E.On UKMr J T McIntosh 11/01/12 Scottish PowerMr C J McWilliam 29/11/11 Scottish PowerMr J K Midforth 16/12/11 British EnergyMr D Mitchell 06/12/11 West Midlands Retired Members GroupMr T G Morgan 01/12/11 West Midlands Retired Members GroupMr G Morley 20/12/11 Avon Valley Retired Members GroupMr A J G Newman 12/01/12 National GridMr C H Parfitt 16/12/11 South East England Retired Members GroupMr E B Paterson 05/12/11 British EnergyMs F L Pirie 12/12/11 Scottish ParliamentMr M G P Poynter 19/12/11 South East England Retired Members GroupMr B J Raja 16/12/11 South East Midlands Retired Members GroupMr D J W Rose 05/01/12 Avon Valley Retired Members GroupMr B L Smith 24/11/11 National GridMr M D Smith 08/12/11 Environment AgencyMr A F Sturgess 16/12/11 Southern Retired Members GroupMr A Townley 10/01/12 Wales Retired Members GroupMr G L Treveil 10/01/12 E.On UKMr K G Turner 05/01/12 Central Networks – EastMr D J Walters 20/12/11 Magnox Nuclear North and South SitesMr C H Waltham 16/01/12 Thames Valley Retired Members GroupMr K Walton 05/01/12 East Anglia Retired Members GroupMr J Watkins 14/12/11 Defence Science and Technology LaboratoryMr J H Watkinson 11/01/12 Electricity Assoc. ServicesMr G Weller 03/01/12 Association of Licensed Aircraft EngineersMr G R White 20/01/12 Yorkshire Retired Members GroupMr H J T Whitehead 05/01/12 North West Retired Members GroupMr C J Whittle 16/12/11 Thames Valley Retired Members GroupMr R J Withers 21/12/11 British Energy

AVON VALLEYNext meeting Wednesday April 18, 2.00 pm, Bath Sports and Leisure Centre, North Parade, Hampton Suite, Bath Rugby Club, 2nd floor lounge. Entrance under the BLC (lift available). Coffee, tea and biscuits. Presentation ‘What to do after injury, illness or bereavement’ by Pat Lomasney. Spouses/partners welcome for the half-hour presentation. Contact Pat Lomasney (secretary) on 01934 834510 or pblomasney@tiscali.co.uk. For members in postcodes BA, BS, SN and SP.

NORTH-EASTNext meeting Thursday April 26, 1.00pm, Siemens Energy Service Fossil, CA Parsons Works, Shields Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2YL. The meeting will be followed by an overview of Siemens at Newcastle followed by a tour of the works, to finish at 3.00pm. Contact Peter Gilroy on (01670) 354613 for directions etc. For members in postcodes NE, DH, SR, DL and TS. At the area AGM in November the following were elected: R Reed – chair (0191 584 8023), P Wild – deputy chair (01434 633231), P Gilroy – secretary (01670 354613), J Atkinson, M Nicolson, J Shiell.

NORTH-WESTGeneral meeting Thursday April 19, County Hotel, Carnforth, 10.30 am. For further details contact Mike Duncalf (secretary) on 01524 732128. For members in postcodes CA, LA, BB, PR and FY.

SCOTLAND NORTHNext meeting, Wednesday March 21, 2.30 pm for 2.45 pm start, Beveridge Park Hotel, Abbotshall Road, Kirkcaldy. To finish by 4.30 pm. Guest speaker Bill Macfarlane-Smith on his activities in the Rotary Club of Scotland. For members in postcodes ZE, KW, IV, AB, PH, DD, FK (postcode 7 et seq), PA (postcode 20 et seq) and KY.

SOUTH-EAST ENGLANDNext meeting Thursday February 16, 1.00 pm, Prospect HQ, 8 Leake Street, London SE1 7NN. Speaker and a report of the RMG ADC. Refreshments provided. Contact Derick Jackson (secretary) on 01474 814541 or email d.jackson123@btinternet.com. For members in postcodes BN, TN, CT, DA, ME and RH.

THAMES VALLEYNext meeting Wednesday March 28, 10.00 am, Reading International Solidarity Centre, 35-39 London Street, Reading. Directions on www.risc.org.uk. Report back on national conference. Guest speaker Prospect national secretary David Luxton. Tea and coffee available before-hand. For details contact Elenor Hutcheson on 01344 305405 or e-mail nellhutch@yahoo.com. For members in postcodes RG, SL and GU but all members welcome.

A year dominated by attacks on pensionsAttacks on pensions and the switch to CPI uprating topped debate at this year’s retired members’ conference

THE ECONOMIC climate has had a severe impact on occupational pensions in both the public and private sectors, the retired members’ group heard in January when they met in London.

That, and policy changes since the general election, dominated the group’s work in 2011, deputy general secretary Mike Clancy told their annual conference.

Prospect continued to handle a large volume of pensions work, both individual and collective, including extensive submis-sions, he said. The govern-ment’s attacks on public sector pensions had been constantly in the spotlight, culminating in the November day of action.

The ensuing debate highlighted both the wider crisis in the UK pension system and the limited pension provision in the private sector, said Clancy.

Delegates welcomed speaker Mike Duggan, general secretary of the Civil Service Pensioners’ Alliance. His organisa-tion has joined Prospect and other unions to appeal against the High Court ruling allowing government to uprate pensions in line with the consumer prices index.

Two motions were passed deploring the CPI switch and calling on Prospect to lobby for a fairer index.

Nigel Marlow (South-East Midlands) said the object of index linking “is to maintain

the real value of pensions in the face of inflation, not to force pensioners into ever lower standards of living.”

David Laws (South-East England) said imposing CPI on state and public service pensions and other state benefits was unfair as it excluded housing costs and council tax.

Health was another key topic. A successful Central Southern motion asked Prospect to publicise an MPs’ report highlighting delays in the treatment of stroke victims, in particular delays in brain scans.

John Ford (Scotland North) flagged up the Dilnot Commission’s proposal for a £35,000 cap on lifetime contributions to social care costs. Prospect should work with others to lobby for the best outcome and ensure local authorities in Scotland fare as well as the rest of the UK, delegates agreed.

South Midlands RMG urged Prospect to press for care home inspections to be accel-erated in the wake of “the degrading and shameful neglect of the bodily needs of the old and vulnerable in care homes, hospitals and by care services in their own homes.”

Delegates called on Prospect to step up its lobbying on asbestos issues and address the issue of retired members without access to computers as the union makes more use of its website.

ALAN MOOREDELEGATES WERE stunned to hear of the tragic death of Alan Moore, an East Midlands group delegate, who collapsed during the retired members’ conference and died later. Prospect sends its heartfelt condolences to his family and former colleagues. Alan Moore had worked for Manweb, and then ScottishPower, and lived in Rugby.

GeraldPerks,newRMGpresident

LETTERSProfile

30 Feb-Mar 1/12

SLOPPY COMPARISONS ARE BEING TWISTED FOR POLITICAL ENDSYour correspondent Simond Simmons (ViewPoint 6/11)

repeats the false assertion that ‘public sector workers enjoy a 7 per cent better income than private sector workers’. This is known as not comparing like with like. The term ‘private sector worker’ can mean anything from exploited migrant labourer to company director.

The only fair comparison is between workers with similar qualifications and jobs, which is not always possible. But the TUC has reported that public sector graduates are paid 3.4 per cent less than their private sector equivalents. For other public sector workers with higher education qualifications short of a degree the gap is 6.2 per cent. This is without taking into account private sector perks such as company cars and bonuses.

Statistical comparisons are further confused by reclassifying bank workers in recently nationalised banks as ‘public sector’, while outsourced low-paid cleaners and refuse collectors have been reclassified as ‘private sector’.

Careless commentators also confuse part-time and full-time workers when they claim that private sector workers work longer hours. But researchers at Bristol have found that public sector workers do more unpaid overtime than private sector workers.

Poorly researched stories to denigrate the public sector provide headlines in much of the press, and are used by government ministers for political ends. Profile readers may easily check these facts on the internet.

Gavin Ross, Harpenden, Herts

Pension facts do not support a witch-huntHas Simond Simmons’ (ViewPoint 6/11) memory of the last 40 years been eradicated altogether? He needs to be reminded of the many years that civil service pay, particularly for engineers and specialists, lagged behind our private sector colleagues. I do not know where his ‘7 per cent better income’ statistic comes from and I do not accept that it is applicable to the engineering community.

Over my 33 years in the Ministry of Defence, I was consistently underpaid in relation to like-for-like industry positions. I accepted that it was a price (or contribution) I had to pay and made that choice based on a perceived longer-term gain at retirement – a choice which any self-employed or private sector worker could also make. I am certainly not benefiting from a vastly inflated contribution from the taxman and my modest pension has been hard-earned.

As for the sustainability of future schemes, the present model may well need to be redefined and that is what Prospect is now negotiating. Mr Simmons would be well advised to avail himself of accurate facts and figures on affordability from his Prospect reps.

public sector does not employ cleaning staff. They give private sector firms contracts to do the cleaning. This outsourcing tends to skew the statistics and gives a false impression about salaries by not comparing like-for-like.

I would like to reassure Mr Simmons that most public sector workers are well aware of the reality of private sector work as most, myself included, have friends and families employed in the private sector.

We can debate whether or not the current public sector pension model is sustainable. However, both the current and previous governments have demanded that people take greater responsibility for making provision for their retirement, at the same time that they devalued private and public sector pension funds by launching tax raids on them.

The race to the bottom is well and truly under way.

Robert Miles, Runcorn, Cheshire

Public sector workers are taxpayers tooI find it strange that letters in ViewPoint suggest ‘the private sector’ is the same as ‘the taxpayer’. Do those in the public sector not also pay taxes? Of course they do. Equally, I am sorry that big companies find it OK to close final salary pensions and that in the past they used their pension funds to prop up their business.

Public sector pensions may have become the standard to aspire to but people in the private sector should be campaigning to improve their rewards, not trying to reduce awards in the public sector.

Public sector pensions take many forms. Some are proper funds and their pensions are dependent on the performance of the fund. Those that are funded out of current contributions obviously should have been reviewed years ago and converted to a proper fund.

Remember that a previous Tory government allowed business to take pension contribution ‘holidays’ in the good times, which has been shown to be a big mistake now those funds have large deficits.

If this government is allowed to reduce pensions in the public sector then this will become the new standard. Do we really want

Given the current media witch-hunt on public sector pensions, it is easy to see how the nation can be fooled. But it is difficult to understand how a fully informed Prospect member could likewise be deceived.

Gwyn Knowles, Wiltshire

Private and public are apples and pearsSimond Simmons (ViewPoint 6/11) claims that the public sector enjoys better salaries than the private sector.

This may be true if you include minimum wage jobs such as cleaning staff. But the

ACROSS8 Is one of its four days of publication Lady Day? (9)9 Brutal rebel leader entering mess (5)10 Complicated to work out (9)11 Happen again to be somewhat more curious (5)12 One of the fruits of the meeting? (10,4)15 Process of voting for parrot (4)17 Not all the allowance, just a proportion (5)19 Membrane has some transparency still (4)21 Antics farmhand developed from artisan (14)23 Open window before giving aid to cub (5)24 Strong woman spent time in original armchair (9)26 Not all of the duplicity is allowable (5)27 Banned badge more remarkable (9)DOWN1 Bar shared by all the people (6)2 In brutal fashion at court of arbitration (8)3 Twice as expensive, what a pity (4,4)4 Play-ground? (4)5 Costly horse? (7)

CrossFeb-M

ar20126 Stratagem that requires care because it is awkward to

include hesitantly (8)7 Inferior rider that overbalanced! (5-4)13 Not a hit from film actor (5)14 Madly climbing? (2,3,4)16 Coming from Nene, lice need mercy! (8)18 Go to pieces after being dismissed during disturbance (8)19 Be intent, say, mixing a gin for crusade (8)20 Side put about as a result of the quarrel (7)22 Arrested Nicholas and Edward (6)25 Nameless Egyptian god has explosive devices (4)

Solution to appear in the next issue

ANSWERS Dec-Jan 6/11 –ACROSS: 1 Archives 6 Rejoin 9 Bypass 10 Congress 11 Large-hearted 13 Merge 14 Tynemouth 17 Centenary 19 Afoot 21 Control tower 24 Deletion 25 Rioted 26 At last 27 Everyone.

DOWN: 2 Rhyl 3 Headlight 4 Vestry 5 Society 6 Rendered 7 Juror 8 Inspection 12 Benevolent 15 Offertory 16 Unionist 18 Retinue 20 Swerve 22 Theta 23 Keen.

Christmas PrizeCrossword winner: David Battye of East Yorks

Letters should be sent by email to profile@prospect.org.uk, via

fax on 020 7902 6665 or by post for the

attention of the editor, New Prospect House,

8 Leake Street, London SE1 7NN. Emails preferred. Letters

may be shortened for reasons of space.

PrizeLetter of the month receives a

£10 book token

THiNKS? Solution DEC-JAN 6/11Solution 1: MOUNTAINEER, ENUMERATIONSolution 2: IN BLACK AND WHITE

Mind FEB-MAR12Which is the odd one out?

ROCK • POST • DAMPSPREAD • TIMEEVIL • SPREAD

Solution to appear in the next issue

LETTERS Profile

Feb-Mar 1/12 31

ProfileINDEX – Feb-Mar 201210 Air traffic controllers’ Big Pull

4 Aspect merger

13 Audit Commission pensions

8 BAE Systems Portsmouth

6 Cameron H&S attack

12 Casefile

7 Civil service pensions

9 COI redundancies

7 CPI switch appeal

9 CSMA film offer

7 CSMA leisure breaks

10 CSRF travel pigs

8 Defence Infrastructure Organisation

8 Defence select committee report

13 Dundee airport dispute

27 Employment tribunal charges

3 Employments rights’ attack

15 Facility time savings

26 Fifty years ago

6 Forensic Science Service closure

4 General secretary election

15 Government spending cuts

6 Health and safety reception

14 Highways Agency GoCo

26 In the News

12 Indicators

10 Insolvency Service evidence

9 Isle of Man pay and pensions

14 Language schools

27 LegalEase

26 Meet Calvin Allen

3 Members’ survey

3 National conference

7 National insurance rebate

9 NATS sell-off

3, 20-21 Oxfam appeal anniversary

13 PayCheck

22 President’s day of action

19 Professional pay comparisons

9 Prospect benevolent fund

19 Prospect data breach

18 Prospect education programme 2011

5 Prospect membership 2011

16-17 Prospect website

12 Public sector pay

11 Radioactive waste storage

11 Renewables obligation

28 Retired members

13 RSRL pay offer

5 Scottish independence

15 Taxpayers Alliance

5 Twitter

11 Uchange4better offer

12 UK Power Networks pay

23 UnionEyes

24-25 V&A pensions picket

4 VOSA privatisation protest

5 Work Your Proper Hours Day

to become a divided nation like America where barely 50 per cent of the population have healthcare and the very rich have tax cuts while the rest endure pay cuts etc?

Andy Gledhill, Folkestone, Kent

Pay curbs mean huge cut in living standardsGeorge Osborne has announced a 1 per cent pay limit for the public sector after the pay freeze. This means that most Prospect members will have 4.1 per cent more in their pay packets by 2015-16, minus 20 per cent income tax.

Over the same period the Office for Budget Responsibility predicts that consumer prices(CPI) will increase by 18 per cent, assuming the government achieves an unprecedented reduction in inflation. This, therefore, can be regarded as the minimum figure. The corresponding figure for RPI is 23.5 per cent.

This reduction of 14 per cent (or 19.5 per cent) in standards of living will not be corrected and so will continue to reduce the value of future pay and pension increases.

Alfred Reading, West Molesey, Surrey

Search for an alternative energy policy is still onIs it any wonder that the energy policy of this and other recent governments is in disorder?

In October, newspapers headlined the story ‘Nuclear plants backed’ with quotes such as “...despite concerns about safety...” and “however ministers asked for a review of safety following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.” Dr Paul Dorfman (Nuclear

Consulting Group) considers the Weightman report to government “a whitewash” that risks “a radiological catastrophe.”

Three days earlier the same daily paper reported: “Jobs at risk as company threatens to pull plug on nuclear power plants.” RWE is, it seems, reviewing its participation in the ‘Horizon Nuclear Power’ project. Scottish and Southern Energy has already decided to withdraw from the NuGeneration scheme.

One can only read political bias into all this. RWE and SSE are withdrawing because there will be no taxpayer contribution to capital costs and the Nuclear Consulting Group because it has an anti-nuclear policy.

As far as nuclear safety in mainland Great Britain is concerned, can anyone describe an incident from the civil nuclear electricity generating programme which has posed any nuclear risk? What relevance has the Fukushima incident to this country with respect to earthquake magnitude, tsunami and reactor design?

A similar question could be asked about Chernobyl. The nearest comparison is the Three Mile Island incident, an early version of the Sizewell B reactor, but lacking the same enhanced safety design and operating procedures.

Whenever alternative power and energy sources are sought, the popular, modern response is: windmills, solar, tidal and wave power. I despair. All of these have inherent uncertainties which render them impracticable to maintain a supply-on-demand condition.

Those who vehemently support ‘sustainable’ sources provide no method of supply maintenance except, perhaps, pumped storage schemes. These would support us

on a lazy hazy warm sunny summer Sunday afternoon for about five hours. This country does not have the topography, geology or transmission infrastructure to support the many pumped schemes which would be needed.

Forget nuclear fusion, your grandchildren will be lucky to see it. Such projects as JET at Culham, Oxford; ITER in the south of France and the National Ignition Facility in California are research projects and it is in their interests to remain so.

Come along all you bright intelligent ‘greenies’, where do we go from here? How about generating electricity from incinerating our solid municipal waste?

David Loxley, Pickering, North Yorkshire

Looking a pictureWith reference to the cover photo of Profile 6/11 of the three striking ladies, if they are so angry, why do they look so happy?

Mike Hails, Henley on Thames

We’ve been here beforeThe government is proposing to introduce salary levels adjusted to the pay of the locality in which the civil/public servant is employed. In the past, a similar scheme was known as provincial differentiation; we had to fight long and hard to achieve common salary scales throughout the country, with London weighting.

In the part of the country where I live, the majority of the employed are on the minimum wage; it will be a disaster for recruitment and retention if staff can gain a higher salary for the same job in bigger cities.

John Chitson, Penzance, Cornwall

WE’RE A UNION FOR PROFESSIONALS – LET’S ACT LIKE ITOn behalf of the civil servants whom I represent, I must respond to Simon Simmons’ unfair assertions in ViewPoint 6/11. Since the Priestley Commission reported in 1956, civil service pay settlements were adjusted downwards by 7.5 per cent to ensure fair contributions from the employee as well as employer.

Consequently, the civil servants that Mr Simmons seeks to demonise as “enjoying a vastly inflated contribution from the taxman (ie the private sector)” have paid for their meagre pensions (on average £6,700 pa) through deflated pay rates on top of their contributions – as well as their own taxes (the private sector has no monopoly on that!).

But we don’t seek the sympathy he suspends, only more responsible debate rather than regurgitation of government spin.

Mr Simmons prays in aid of his argument a simplistic extract from an Institute for Fiscal Studies report to assert that public sector workers enjoy a 7 per cent higher income than the private sector. In the same issue of Profile, Sue Ferns wrote a very objective article covering the same ground and exposing the stupidity of drawing simple conclusions from blunt statistical tools – “What does it tell us to learn that a particle physicist is better paid than an outsourced

hospital cleaner.” Even IFS admit the folly of concluding that the particle physicist must be overpaid!

Civil servants in Prospect are scientists, engineers, doctors and vets amongst many other highly specialised workers, none of whom would agree that they enjoy a pay lead over private sector employees – quite the contrary. The Office for National Statistics has published objective analysis showing that employees with a degree or equivalent qualification (Prospect’s principal membership base) earned around 5.7 per

cent less in the public sector than the private sector.

Coupled with four years of an effective pay freeze which will reduce real salaries by a further 17-19 per cent, on top of which most will have to pay up to 6 per cent more in pension contributions, civil servants are being asked to shoulder a far higher burden than any reasonable person could accept as fair.

Mr Simmons asks whether public sector workers would be happy to trade their current terms for private sector jobs. The fact is that the OBR has increased its prediction of public sector job losses to 710,000 over the next few years. Sadly, many thousands will go voluntarily as they are sick and tired of the attacks on jobs, pay, pensions and the very professionalism with which they undertake jobs vital to the community.

It really is time to stop demonising public and civil servants and work together in the best traditions of trade unionism to help each other to protect and preserve fair pay, pensions and conditions – across all the employment areas of our union, both private and public.

After all we are a union for professionals – let’s act like it.

John Streeter, civil service sector president, Bradford-on-Avon

Profile

Feb-Mar 1/12 n 29

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