Dispute Update
Unison’s industrial action ballot will be landing on your door steps over the next few days. Unison urges all members to vote ‘Yes’ in order to protect and improve their terms and conditions.
The recent Trust communication at least acknowledges that the recent changes have not worked and are having a negative impact on our members, due to this Unison demands that the Trust revert back to the agreed policies and procedures.
Trust communication also implies that Unison was pushing for 12-hour shifts, this is not the case, Unison did not agree, or want, any rota change. The fact is that the Trust wanted members to work more hours at weekends, Unison insisted that members worked enough weekends and should at least be given the choice of working 12-hour shifts as an alternative to working extra 10 hour shifts at the weekend. Unison acknowledge that some members have concerns around 12 hour shifts on weekends but are not against the principle of 12 hour rotas. The current rotas are constructed to match the demand issued by the Trust, via process evolution, they are not "Unison" rotas. No rota will work if all the lines are not full and managed correctly The simple facts are that members are exhausted and stressed due to the ever increasing demand, late meal breaks, excessive end of shift overtime and lack of support.
The trust are saying that we are misquoting Agenda for Change Job Evaluation and that the grading of a job is based on the minimum level of qualification and experience required to do the job. The handbook is readily available for anyone to read on the following link:
http://www.nhsemployers.org/~/media/Employers/Publications/NHS_Job_Evaluation_Handbook.pdf
The issue is factor 2 Knowledge, training and experience (KTE) and the relevant guidance notes on page 24. The handbook is clear that 'the level of knowledge to be measured is the minimum needed to carry out the full duties of the job to the required standards'. It is this that has changed, the full duties have been expanded and the level of the qualification, which the trust have introduced and which is clearly level 3 for KTE, should now be taken into consideration. See page 27 of the handbook:
Base level of theoretical knowledge (Level 3) equates to NVQ level 3, RSA 3, City & Guilds certification or equivalent level of knowledge.
If the trust are so adamant that they are right then why are they refusing to acknowledge the request for a re-evaluation?
They want you to do band 4 work for band 3 money.
The trust went public stating the ECA crews would only be used as FPOS and would have immediate back up from a clinician. We know this now to be untrue, as more and more ECA crews are conveying patients to hospital. Our members are being put in a vulnerable position, between the do they convey or wait an unknown time for clinical backup. Morally wrong, and again, they are working out of their scope of practise and Band 4 level.
In order to put Unison in the strongest position possible to protect your working conditions.
Vote Yes!
