4th March 2007, 10:20 AM
Indeed Peter, you sum it up perfectly. One real danger is that an expectation has been raised in groups of staff that without a means of delivery. That will lead almost inevitably lead to disappointment.
There will be real confusion in April and the following months as the half-baked IFA arrangements kick in along with an absence of base pay rates. Just to reintroduce the personal, for avoidance of doubt - we will be implementing a pay rise in April anyway, and I can bet you it will be well above the LG rise.
On this issue, I would have no faith in either Prospect or SCAUM being able to deliver, even if I belived in nationwide collective negotiation on this issue, which I don't.
There is also real concern being raised beyond these pages about what the IFA is about - it seems increasingly to be taking the line of trying to be a trade union for its members (though as one I have never been asked if this is what I want it to do and indeed never thought that was why it was set up), while trying to regulate employers also. Care is needed here.
There will be real confusion in April and the following months as the half-baked IFA arrangements kick in along with an absence of base pay rates. Just to reintroduce the personal, for avoidance of doubt - we will be implementing a pay rise in April anyway, and I can bet you it will be well above the LG rise.
On this issue, I would have no faith in either Prospect or SCAUM being able to deliver, even if I belived in nationwide collective negotiation on this issue, which I don't.
There is also real concern being raised beyond these pages about what the IFA is about - it seems increasingly to be taking the line of trying to be a trade union for its members (though as one I have never been asked if this is what I want it to do and indeed never thought that was why it was set up), while trying to regulate employers also. Care is needed here.