Leaflet for Duty Managers from all Unions

This leaflet - from all four unions that represent duty managers - explains why the unions are refusing to go along with LUL's plans for the grade. Click '1 attachment' / file name to download it. Read the text below.

DUTY MANAGERS' SKILL FRAMEWORK

Colleagues

As all of you are aware, Staff-Side have been negotiating a Duty Manager ‘Skill Framework’ similar to the model introduced for Centurion Managers.

The discussions undertaken by the ‘Sub- Committee to Company Council’, is well established and we have been meeting on a regular basis.

Up until 4 weeks ago consultation was positive and progressive, before the management team presented us with a proposed ‘Heads of Agreement’ document.

With serious concerns, Staff side requested time away from the meeting to thoroughly consider the document content and possible implications to our members, before reporting back to the ‘Sub-Committee’.

Further to this it is also apparent that Centurions can effectively ‘freeze’ a Duty Managers salary, if the required performance targets are apparently not met as determined by the ‘Skills Matrix’ criteria.

The ‘Skills Matrix’ incidentally has not been accepted by the Trade Unions as a viable and manageable proposition, in consequence of the absence of measures to facilitate progression.

There is also an apparent attempt to introduce an ‘effective ceiling’, virtually ensuring that most Duty Managers salaries would be capped at £52,000.

In respect of this, worthy of note is the fact that the figure of £52,000 is just under the top of the Q2 pay band, yet we were assured that all Duty Managers would assume Q1 status for salary purposes.

Staff-Side returned the ‘Heads of Agreement’ document’ to the management team with proposed (and reasonable) changes, who responded to our requests Tuesday 17th March 2009.

In consequence the management team agreed to only minor changes, of which Staff-Side considered actually made matters worse.

Duty Managers on the top of the Q1 salary band would be allowed to sit outside the framework with a guarantee that their salary would not be touched. We believe this to be discrimination against the rest of the Duty Managers as their salary would be under threat every year with pensions being affected. One of the changes we had requested was that Duty Managers would be allowed to opt in or stay out of the skills framework as for anyone near the £52,000 mark would be in the same position as anyone over it. Therefore it is likely that they would be in the twilight of their careers and would find the skills framework of no benefit.

As management refused to budge on their position staff side felt that they had no option but to walk away to protect the terms and conditions including salaries for all Duty Managers and refer this back to their respective Head offices.

We will of course keep you updated as and when we receive information and would advise you all to attend your branch meetings, where your representative will be able to answer your questions and provide up to date information.

Jim Whyte, TSSA (Staff side secretary) Mary Williamson, TSSA Roy Carey, RMT Paul McCarthy, ASLEF Danny Coulson-West, BTOG