Further education sick pay proposals add insult to injury

UNISON, which represents 25,000 staff in Further Education Colleges, has said no to a new sick pay scheme drawn up by the Association of College (AoC) employers. A joint statement from FE trade unions* concluded that: “after lengthy deliberation and consultation, there is a consensus that the final offer onsick pay is unjustified and unacceptable.”

The union’s FE service group executive are due to meet tomorrow (Friday 7) to discuss what further action they may wish to take, including the possibility of withdrawing cover for colleagues who are off sick, a common practice across the whole sector.  The service group represent members working across FE in business and learning support including technicians, instructors, librarians, secretarial and management as well ascleaners, caterers and security staff.

The unions are calling for further talks to prevent a stand-off at a time when staff are already under considerable stress because of funding cuts and attacks on their pay and conditions.

Jon Richards, UNISON Head of Education, said: 

“There is no evidence to suggest that there is a problem with sickness absence in the FE sector, in fact the number of staff needing time off has fallen.  We believe it is important to manage sickness absence so as to not put additional strain on the rest of the workforce.  However, the key is in good management, not in this heavy-handed approach that adds insult to injury. We have offered to negotiate around a sickness management policy with the employers, which would be a far more equitable route to go down.

“Instead, this attack on sickness arrangements runs the risk of alienating staff and removing current good will practices. The vast majority of such absences are currently covered by staff, which means the employers are not liable for any additional expense.

“We know that our members in FE are already upset and angry at the continuing erosion of their pay – the value of which has fallen by 10% since 2009 and for some by as much as 15%.  If the employers forge ahead with these proposals it will only undermine relations with staff even further.”

Details of proposed changes

Years of service	Period of full pay	Period of half pay
During 1st year during probation	Statutory Sick Pay Only
During 1st year after probation	1 month	1 month
During 2nd year	2 months	2 months
During 3rd year and beyond	4 months	2 months

Previous (2000) Agreement terminated by AoC December 2012

Years of service	Period of full pay	Period of half pay
During 1st year	1 month	2 months (after 4 months’ service)
During 2nd year	2 months	2 months
During 3rd year	4 months	4 months
During 4th and 5th years	5 months	5 months
After 5 years	6 months	6 months

The six NJF trade unions agree to reject the final offer unanimously.

ends

*amie, ATL, GMB, UCU, UNISON, Unite