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MoD guard service detached duty update – “Continuously unpredictable”

10 November 2009

For several months, PCS guard force members at CS05 (E2) and CS04 (E1) grades have been forcibly made to undertake detached duty. Our union has now registered two formal disagreements on the issue, firstly at the MDPGA Whitley and on Friday (6 November) at the CTLB Whitley.

Whilst our union had been trying to resolve this dispute in an amicable manner, we had taken a sensible, professional stance and advised guard service members to go on detached duty under protest and raise a grievance. This protected our members from facing disciplinary action and allowed the department to fulfil their tasking responsibilities.

At the CTLB Whitley, the TU side pointed out that chief executive Steve Love has already admitted that the situation forcing guards to undertake detached duty had arisen prior to PR09. With the November 2008 CTLB Whitley minutes clearly recording that there were severe problems in all years of the PR09 period, it is quite clear any detached duty is ongoing.

Steve Love took further advice on this from the Director of Civilian Personnel (DCP) area and was told, “…management retain the right to direct staff to undertake detached duty to meet an urgent business requirement.”

As this situation is obviously a long-term issue, and has been ongoing for at least a year, the TU side argued that this could not be construed as “an urgent business requirement”. Unfortunately CTLB management did not agree and claimed the situation with the MGS is “continuously unpredictable” and refused to overturn the decision.

Therefore, the CTLB TU side formally registered a disagreement at the TLB level, and the issue will now be forwarded for national discussion with DCP.
However, once a formal disagreement has been registered, the status quo must apply as per para 23 of the employee relations PRG -

“Formal Disagreements – Settling Disputes
23. It is intended to be an exceptional step taken only after the TUs and management have made every effort to resolve the issue in dispute. In the meantime the status quo must apply and no industrial action be taken until all procedures for settling a Formal Disagreement have been exhausted.”

It is with extreme disappointment that our union has to report that MGS management have now informed us that they will disregard the two formal disagreements and will continue to forcibly make members undertake detached duty. This is totally unacceptable to our union.

Therefore, our union is now giving the following advice to any member who is told to undertake detached duty. If you are put in this position, please inform your manager as follows –

  • “I am a PCS member. PCS has now submitted two formal disagreements regarding forced detached duty. The employee relations PRG states that when a formal disagreement has been submitted, the status quo must apply. My union has therefore advised me not to undertake detached duty”.

If the department subsequently decide to discipline any member who does refuse, our union will give you complete support up to and including to employment tribunal on the matter.

For too many years there has been severe MGS mismanagement, with chronic under resourcing of the guard force. This mismanagement is now coming home to roost as we find ourselves in difficult financial times throughout the Ministry of Defence. Rather than make hard decisions as to what tasks should be dropped, MGS and CTLB management would rather make their members of staff suffer.

The same members of staff who are already low paid, face potential privatisation, job cuts and their compensation scheme slashed. The MoD is looking for “goodwill” from members to help them through these difficult times. Unless there is a very serious shift in the MGS management position, there will be no goodwill from PCS guard force members.


If any MGS PCS have any queries on this, can they please contact one of the JCC contacts below.

 


Steve Robinson
030 679 30355
DESHROps-PCS-AGS@mod.uk

John Lyons
07899 094394
johnlyons1@btinternet.com

Pam Biagi
01436 678169
pamelabiagi@yahoo.co.uk

Sean Sweeney
01436 674321 ext 3324
sweeneysean54@yahoo.com

 

 

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