You are:

MoD guard service: January 2010 update

It is some time now since our union wrote to MGS members with a comprehensive update on the issue affecting MGS officers.

Indicative ballot

Some time ago PCS indicated their intention to conduct an indicative ballot of MGS members because of the lack of movement on many outstanding issues and because of management actions resulting from the PR09 cuts. Having taken that decision there were clear indications of movement on a number of these issues, the 48 hour rule and the forced detached duty being the primary ones. As a result PCS took the decision to suspend the ballot until such time as no further progress was possible. This is still the situation but we want to make it clear to our members that the ballot is held in abeyance and can be activated at any time. Indeed should the situation deteriorate, and it is hoped that that will not be the case, then we would not be seeking an indicative ballot but would look to initiate a statutory ballot.

48 hour rule

Our union would like to remind officers that this rule is now no longer in force and local managers should not be using this to move officers around between shifts. It is understood that Wethersfield are about to open dialogue with the unions with the aim of securing an agreement on shift flexibility.

Forced detached duty

After much confusion about whether the trade unions had properly observed the disagreement process in the policy rules and guidance, the issue was formally raised with the MDPGA chief constable at the MGS national JCC in October. He has since delivered his decision and that is that, as the paragraph quoted from PRGs by management to justify forced detached duty does not solely refer to MGS but applies to the wider MOD, he does not have the authority to rule on the disagreement. The disagreement was therefore forwarded to the CTLB as the owner of the MDPGA. We hope to be able to take this forward with the CTLB but, at the moment there appears more confusion. It is hoped that this is resolved soon and a decision can be made.

Alternate roster review

MGS management issued the trade unions with a consultation document at the end of October which incorporates the roster review and the CSO4 review. This document ostensibly covered the trial and its results, the survey of MGS officers who participated in the survey which was conducted by Strathclyde University, and the proposals for the wider roll-out of alternate rosters across the country.

The trade unions made it clear that the contents of the document are not to the required standard for a formal consultation document. Notwithstanding the fact that management, as part of the trail, have provided a large quantity of data coming out form the trial, we have outlined a number of omissions in the data provided in the consultation document. There are also a number of concerns with reference to the conduct of the survey and the conclusions drawn from it. Finally the roster review papers provided do not contain the necessary firm proposals needed for formal trade union consultation. In addition any consultation about the implementation of alternate proposals at sites other than the trial sites must also include details of the old and new rosters and the current customer tasking agreements. These points have been acknowledged.

The trade unions have therefore formally agreed to draw a line under the trial. The ART is over and done and, rather than waste time debating whether or not the savings are what they appear to be, our time will now be better used in scrutinising the anticipated implementation consultation documents for each individual site. The ART document itself should not be used in its current state to predicate any changes to local rosters. Any and all consultation on this will be “local at a national level”. In other words the consultation will be issued to the national JCC and they will then cascade the information down to the relevant site to enable all officers to be able to comment.

CSO4 review

The complete set of data from the regions has now been received by Wethersfield and a full lists of recommendations has recently been shared with the trade unions. The roster review consultation will be covering many of the posts examined and this consultation will be shared with members on the ground. The CSO4 steering group will however need to consider a number of posts that will not be covered by the ART/roster review consultation. This will be done as a separate exercise and will be ensuring that all the issues surrounding these posts have been highlighted. Any decision on their future will not lie with the steering group but with senior MGS management – and will of course be subject to formal consultation. The steering group is scheduled to meet on 18 February and members will be updated if and when necessary.

Flexible rostering agreement

It was recognised that there are a number of small amendments necessary to this document as it is now several years out of date. When the trade unions met with management the additional problem of the agreement not working in practice was raised by Wethersfield. The trade unions asked for hard evidence to show where and how this was the case. At the time management were unable to provide this information but have been compiling evidence over the last three months prior to re-convening our discussions. We hope to continue these discussions in the New Year.

The Hutchinson report

After a very useful and informative brief with Mark Hutchinson in September, our union was extremely disappointed to learn that the commissioner of the report, the MOD’s director of business resilience, Mr Mark Preston was excluding the trade unions from the distribution of the report. Following a number of requests, which were refused on the spurious grounds of not being involved in armed security and that the document was only one of several being used to formulate future policy and was therefore management-in-confidence, PCS were provided with a copy from an alternative source.

It is understood that there are a number of alternatives to the recommendations in the report that are being worked up by other parts of the department. A decision will be made by the Defence management board in the New Year (the next DMB meeting is on 28 January 2010) on the future of security in the MoD. Rest assured that our union will not turn away from aggressively defending members and their rights should that become necessary.

Clothing committee

This committee is currently suspended, as there is no finance with which to make any purchases. We have raised concerns with regards to instances where officers are having to buy their own kit, for example waterproof hi-vis jackets, as the kit supplied by Wethersfield appears not to be up to the job. These instances are not widespread but we wil be continuing our discussions with Wethersfield.

SIA training

SIA training has been mandated for new officers for some time now. The retrospective training for existing officers has also been proceeding and many officers are now SIA-qualified. There is now a mandatory instruction covering this subject. This has taken some time to achieve as the unions had concerns over the treatment of officers failing to achieve the qualification. We have been assured that the rate of failure is small and that those officers that have failed have passed the next time. We are content to move forward on the understanding that any individual who has difficulty will be treated in accordance with MoD rules. It is not anticipated that this situation will arise.

Driving licences

The only circumstances under which officers are required to provide a photocopy of their driving licence is where they are required to carry out driving tasks as part of their normal duties. If officers have concerns over the retention of personal information then these photocopies may be redacted.

Area joint consultative committees

In response to management’s PR09 savings proposals and their request to avoid unnecessary expense, the unions proposed the cessation of area joint consultative committees. Initially on a trail basis but with the potential to become permanent, not only will this achieve savings in terms of managers’ and union representatives’ time but the unions believe that it will improve the employee relations processes at regional JCC level.

Facility time

The unions are sympathetic with management’s request to cut down on the use of facility time wherever possible. We would not expect our representatives to apply for unnecessary or unjustifiable facility time but the decision on what is considered necessary is a decision for the unions to make. Management may grant or refuse facility time request. Members refused facility time should notify the PCS national JCC team.

The unions have also requested that, as part of the wider MOD review of facility time, that the MDPGA produce a list from HRMS of officers who have levels of facility time recorded against them. It has become clear from lists in other TLBs that the HRMS records are not accurate and that the level of inaccuracy gives a false picture of facility time in the MGS. Our union is keen to ensure that we have all our accredited representatives on the correct level of facility time.

Single manning and risk assessments

In the current climate where many posts have been reduced to single manning that risk assessments are in place. Our union has recently been made aware of one establishment where there does not appear to have ever been risk assessments in place. The unions will be ensuring, through the regional JCC structure, that sites have up to date risk assessments. Members are encouraged to check whether their site has current risk assessments and to notify the PCS national JCC team when this is not the case.

MGS quarterly meeting

MGS members are reminded that the next MGS quarterly meeting for reps is to be held at PCS headquarters at Clapham on Tuesday 16 February. Please contact one of the PCS team below for further details.

Customer tasking agreements

Our union is concerned that there appear to be many sites where the tasking still has not been reduced to reflect the new “PR09” staffing levels of MGS. It is imperative that all units undertake only the tasks that their manpower levels will permit. Any continued attempts to try and maintain “pre-PR09” levels of service will only result in the burn-out and exhaustion of individual officers and will only make the current situation worse. If members know that their unit has not reduced tasking to reflect current staff levels then they are to notify the PCS national JCC team.

 

Steve Robinson
Tel: 030 6793 0355
Email:DESHROps-PCS-AGS@mod.uk

John Lyons
Tel: 07899 094394
Email: johnlyons1@btinternet.com

Pam Biagi
Tel:01436 678169
Email: pamelabiagi@yahoo.co.uk

Sean Sweeney
Tel: 01436 674321 ext 3324
Email: sweeneysean54@yahoo.com
 

View all News