Digital consultative ballot launches 23 May 2024
UNISON is recommending that you VOTE YES to the following question:
I would be prepared to vote for industrial action to seek to bring the Probation Service back to the negotiating table to re-open the current 3 year pay award to give probation staff more pay now.
This is the question which we are putting to you in a consultative ballot which opens on Thursday 23 May and closes at 12 noon on Friday 21 June. Napo and GMB/SCOOP are also consulting their members at the same time.
Please note that this is not an industrial action ballot – it is a purely consultative vote to gauge support for a potential industrial action strategy going forward. You will not be asked to take any action on the strength of how you and other members vote now, but it is important that all members take part to give us a clear idea about how strongly you feel about your pay.
A high turnout from members and a strong yes vote in this consultative ballot will help to put pressure on the Probation Service to come back to the negotiating table. That is the main aim of this consultative ballot.
If the consultative ballot indicates strong support for potential industrial action, UNISON can begin to plan for this. We would do this in association with Napo and GMB/SCOOP.
Industrial action could only take place if members vote for this in a formal industrial action ballot in the future. At this stage, decisions on what sort of industrial action might be proposed in future have yet to be taken. It could include strike action, either all-out or selective strikes by key groups of members, or action short of strike action.
VOTE YES
UNISON is recommending that you vote yes to potential industrial action in the future to put pressure on the Probation Service to re-open the current three year pay award to give members a better pay deal now.
Back in June 2023, in light of the cost-of-living crisis, the trade unions submitted a claim to the Probation Service to re-open the current 3 year pay award. We had been told during the negotiations over the 3 year pay offer that re-opening the pay award in this way would be possible.
The claim we made back in June last year was for an additional:
• 12% increase on all pay points effective from 1 April 2023
• Unconsolidated (one-off) payment of £2,500
• Increase in the value of all Probation Service cash allowances of 12% effective from 1 April 2023.
SQUEEZE ON LIVING STANDARDS GOES ON
We believed, and still believe, that this is a very reasonable but urgently necessary claim. The reasons we believe a re-opener pay claim is justified include:
• The unprecedented squeeze on the living standards of probation staff caused by large increases in prices, particularly essentials like energy, housing, and food
• The cumulative value of Probation staff pay rises from 2010 to 2023 is only 7.6%
• The cost of living has risen by 81.5% from 2010 to 2023
• Just to get back to 2010 real-terms wages Probation staff would need a 68% pay rise
• Probation is suffering a staffing crisis causing ever greater workloads and stress. The increasing number of leavers is ‘…likely attributable to competition in the labour market…’ according to HMPPS’ own analysis. In other words, the Probation Service is simply not paying enough to recruit and retain the staff it needs for the workloads it is dealing with.
The Probation Service took many months to respond to the claim to re-open the pay award and eventually the unions met with the Justice Secretary in November last year. He said that it would not be possible to re-open the pay talks, but encouraged the unions to keep talking to the Probation Service about what they might be able to offer staff.
IS ANYTHING ON OFFER?
No. Despite the unions’ best efforts, the Probation Service has not come up with anything concrete to improve all members’ pay.
At a meeting with the Probation Service Director Generals, Amy Rees and Phil Copple on 23 April, it was confirmed to the unions that HMPPS would not be offering anything to re-open the three year pay award to give something extra for all staff.
This will come as a bitter blow to probation members whose pay is still lagging well behind inflation after years of pay freezes.
That is why UNISON is recommending that you VOTE YES to indicate your willingness to vote for industrial action in the future to put pressure on the Probation Service to offer additional pay to all staff during the current three year pay award.
If you have any questions on the consultative ballot ask your local UNISON representative or get in touch with your UNISON branch.
UNISON is planning to hold some on-line meetings for members during the ballot period. Look out for information on how to join these meetings.
How do I vote?
The consultation will be run online. Eligible members will receive a voting email to your preferred email address. Voting emails will be sent out from 23 May 2024.
If you do not receive an email by 28 May 2024, and for members who have not supplied an email address, you may vote online here.
Please have your membership number ready in order to verify your membership – you will need this before you can vote.
You can find this on your membership card or by contacting your local UNISON branch or calling UNISON direct (Telephone 0800 0 857 857) who can provide your membership number.
- The ballot opens at 09.00 on Thursday 23 May
- The ballot closes at 12 noon on Friday 21 June.