- Conference
- 2006 Health Care Service Group Conference
- Date
- 23 December 2005
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
CONFERENCE notes the provision in the Agenda for Change agreement for the areas where High Cost Area Supplements are paid to be extended beyond their current geographical limits.
Conference notes that there has been a rapid rise in the cost of living, and especially housing, in several areas, meaning that the take-home pay of workers in those areas is realistically worth less than that of those in areas with a lower cost of living.
Some local Unison branches have taken advantage of the new provisions in the AfC agreement to submit evidence supporting the extension of the High Cost Area Supplements to their areas, yet no moves whatsoever appear to have taken place on the issue in this year’s pay settlement.
Conference further notes that the Staff Side and UNISON submissions to the pay review body and the Pay Claim lodged on behalf of non-PRB groups of staff did not contain proposals for specific High Cost Area supplements in particular areas of the UK. It was proposed to conduct a joint review via the Staff Council of areas that might attract such a supplement, in preparation for next year’s PRB submissions and pay negotiations. That will mean six years since the unfair and inequitable ‘Cost of Living Supplements’ were introduced, which we were told that Agenda for Change would do away with and replace with fair High Cost Area Supplements.
Conference instructs the union’s national negotiators to give a high priority to ensuring that the issue of High Cost Area Supplements is addressed in the next pay round, and that branches are given full support and encouragement to submit claims where they believe they have the necessary evidence.