- Conference
- 2006 Health Care Service Group Conference
- Date
- 22 April 2006
- Decision
- Carried
Conference congratulates the national negotiating team on reaching agreement to allow Agenda for Change to be applied to staff employed by private contractors.
This has every chance of eradicating the two tier workforce and being the catalyst to banish private contractors from NHS Soft Facilities Contracts. Whilst we welcome this move, we have serious concerns that many private contractors will not apply the terms
and conditions, or implement the agreement without tinkering with the arrangements.
This will only cause confusion and disharmony
We are concerned that the Private Companies may exclude local representatives from the process of job evaluation on a company-wide basis. We need to ensure that the partnership approach is enshrined within the private contractors, and that they are not allowed to ‘cherry pick’ parts of the agreement, and leave important issues like KSF out. This would prevent our members benefiting from the full potential of Agenda for Change.
We call upon the Service Group Executive and the national negotiators to ensure the agreement is upheld and applied and that our low paid members do not miss the opportunity to become a fully integrated member of the healthcare team.
Conference notes that agreement reached in October 2005 with the private contractors and the Department of health relates specifically to the NHS in England. Separate discussions are to be held for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Conference calls upon the relevant Health Departments to end the ‘two tier workforce’ by insisting contractors swiftly implement Agenda for Change pay rates and terms and conditions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Conference calls on the Service Group Executive to :-
(i)Support branches with a nationally co-ordinated campaign to end the obscenity of ancillary services being contracted out, 9 years after the end of Tory rule.
(ii)Ensure that all necessary resources are put in place to support the Regions in negotiations to extend the agreement to Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and all Regions.