- Conference
- 2015 Special Local Government Conference
- Date
- 5 February 2015
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes that the 2014 Local Government Conference agreed 10 core principles for revised Local Government Service Group pay consultation procedures. These were:
1)To consult all members in a sector on a final pay offer, once negotiations are deemed to be exhausted by the Sector Committee; or to consult all members in a sector on the furtherance of a claim where no offer has been forthcoming or negotiations are otherwise not progressing, as determined by the Sector Committee and relevant to the due pay implementation date;
2)To ensure that all branches consult members by the same range of means, using the same questions;
3)To ensure maximum participation in the consultation process;
4)To ensure that this participation goes beyond simply voting, so that members can ask questions and engage in debate;
5)To conduct consultations which sit within our democratic structures at branch, Regional and sector-wide levels;
6)To ensure the consultation can be used as a vehicle for recruiting and organising members around pay;
7)To gain maximum possible access to groups that are harder to reach – for example (but not limited to) those in smaller geographically dispersed workplaces, and part-time workers (most of whom are low-paid women).
8)To make maximum possible use of technology without compromising principles of participation.
9)To ensure any use of technology is secure and provides for consistent consultation.
10)To ensure that the Service Group Conference has, so far as is practicable, the final say on all matters concerning the service group, including pay consultation.
Conference also notes that the 2014 Local Government Conference instructed the Service Group Executive (SGE) to:
a)Amend the Service Group’s pay consultation procedures to include the core principles set out at points 1 to 10 above with immediate effect.
b)Conduct a practical review of the operational and organisational issues necessary to support the broadest engagement and participation of members in the Service Group’s pay consultation procedures, including an assessment of what electronic consultation methods would be possible and appropriate.
c)Involve sectors and Regions in this review.
d)Report the outcome of the review to sectors and Regions and if necessary bring any further amendments to the Service Group’s pay consultation procedures to the 2015 Local Government Conference for approval.
Conference further notes that in the second half of 2014, the SGE conducted a practical review as instructed by 2014 Conference. The review covered a wide range of issues related to consulting members, including ensuring equal access for all members, disabled members’ issues, data protection, using a combination of voting methods, reporting branch results, the pros and cons of Microsoft Outlook polls, the pros and cons of SurveyMonkey, branch monitoring of member access and engagement when electronic voting is used (and reporting on this to Regions), introducing a ‘spoiled ballot paper’ option when branches report results to Regions, and ensuring accessible campaign materials. Following this review, the SGE then consulted sectors and Regions on its proposals in December 2014 and January 2015.
Conference welcomes the document, Pay consultation procedures – put to 2015 Local Government Service Group Special Conference. The revised pay consultation procedures are based on the 10 core principles agreed by 2014 Conference. They contain clear changes which came from the SGE’s review of practicabilities, as consulted on with Regions and sectors. The specific consultation procedures ensure the best possible balance between all 10 core principles, including allowing for electronic voting while putting in place the appropriate safeguards.
Conference believes that in consulting members on pay offers, the sectors within the Local Government Service Group must ensure that as many members as possible vote, and that the consultation process is used as an organising, recruitment and engagement opportunity. Conference believes that there is no substitute for face to face engagement with members.
The revised pay consultation procedures achieve this, and Conference resolves to agree those procedures, and adopt them with immediate effect.