Business, Community and Environment

UKD Restructure - feedback from Members

30/06/2009 Update briefings recently took place in UKD Operations regarding the current situation within the UKD restructure. Managers delivered the briefings and TU reps received some useful feedback from members across the operational patches.

Members of both Trades Union made it very clear that they remained extremely concerned on a range of issues some of which, have been unchanged since the first presentations back in January. Many members did not want to take part in the aspiration process and asked the TU’s to support them in a boycott. As much as Unison & GMB/Apex would support members to do this, a boycott would amount to industrial action and this would require a formal ballot of the members to be legal. A formal ballot would take at least 3 weeks to complete. For the moment, both trades union are advising members to take part in a face-to-face aspiration with their manager and indicate to their manager what concerns they have with the restructure. If members continue to feel that they have insufficient information to make an informed decision about their future they should make this very clear during the aspiration.

It has been reported that as many as 4 out of 5 operational supervisory line managers object to certain proposals within the restructure. The most significant, but not all, concerns are listed below:

• Re-layering of OEP/T’s to Network Supervisor and Network Engineer creating around 180 PBC’s. • Members in Maintenance remain unconvinced that the proposed new structure is workable. • There is a real need for pilots to prove the model and the standby scenarios before structures are finalised. • Members in EMS are complaining that the proposed ratios to FTO’s are too high at 1:30. This could be doubled during periods of holiday/sickness. • Members in Repair remain unconvinced that any more workload can be removed from them by Distribution Support and Resource Management. • The re-layering in front line Operations will see a reduction in potential base pay earnings for those on PBC. The reduced numbers will also increase the numbers of hours individuals need to work affecting their work-life balance. • Members falling into the Compliance Officer role believe this should be a level higher. • Members believe that the numbers in Investment are insufficient to cover the increasing workloads and the need to carry out domestic connections. These concerns lie solely with Operations and will not affect members in DCS or Network Strategy. We have been consulting with the company on this restructure for some 4 months and have been pushing management very hard to resolve the issues. It is clear from the latest briefing feedback that we need to convince the company that there should be a greater focus to resolve the majority, if not all, of the above concerns. The Operations Forum continues to meet regularly and we will also continue to seek your feedback. Unison and GMB/Apex are considering moving to a consultative ballot for industrial action should the company be unable to resolve the above concerns. Depending on the outcome of this “informal ballot” there may then be an escalation to a formal ballot which could result in industrial action. In the meantime we will be requesting some assurances from the company to assist with this difficult time. The company have already indicated that all posts in the new structure will be “designate” until the safety case changes have been approved. We will be requesting that the “designate” status should remain until such time that members and the TU officers are comfortable to move to a new permanent structure following pilots that are proven to work and standby scenarios that are also proven to be appropriate. Should improvements or assurances not be forthcoming in the near future, the full-time officers and senior representatives from both Trades Union will be requesting a meeting with Mark Fairbairn (Executive Director – Gas Distribution) to formally represent your concerns directly.

Both Unison and GMB/Apex are also considering seeking meetings with OFGEM and the HSE to air the wider issue of the effects of these proposals.

We will update you as soon as we have any further news. In the meantime, if you have concerns other than those highlighted, please contact your local rep.

Mike Jeram Gary Smith National Secretary National Secretary UNISON GMB/Apex

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