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PCS, Prospect and FDA advice on departmental restrictions on travel, recruitment and overtime

25 November 2009

All members will by now have seen the letter dated 20 November from Bill Jeffrey and Jock Stirrup regarding restrictions on travel, recruitment and overtime within the department. Although this letter states that the unions were informally consulted, it is important to stress that we were informed of these changes only after they had been sent to ministers and we have had no opportunity to change the outcome of the proposals.

The non-industrial trade unions (NITU) have not agreed these proposals and we have serious concerns about yet another short-term savings measure that will impact on our members.

We believe that the restrictions announced are largely a gesture by the department and lack real substance. Our concern is that the restrictions on travel and overtime will not be enough to close the department’s budget shortfall and we fear that further measures will be necessary as we move through this financial year.

We hope that the department will respond imaginatively and sensitively to the challenges it faces and will recognise that piecemeal salami slicing cuts would be both wrong and counter-productive. However, we also note MoD’s failure to respond in this way previously.

We are therefore issuing this briefing to remind members of the entitlements they have in respect of travel and travelling time and to offer guidance in respect of the department’s announcement.

Travel

  • Whilst the non-industrial trade unions would encourage all members to travel as economically, and in an environmentally friendly manner as possible, we are quite clear that there is no change to your travel entitlements. These entitlements can only be changed by agreement of the trade unions and yourself.
  • In such circumstances, and where the member has the entitlement to travel first class and where it is agreed that an individual needs to travel but is expected to travel standard class – then there is no requirement for an individual to do so. In other words, members are well within their rights to refuse to travel. It will be for management to decide what alternative arrangements should be made. If any member is bullied, harassed or disciplined because of this, they will be fully supported by their respective union.

Overtime

  • We encourage all members not to work unpaid overtime;
  • Any member under pressure to do unpaid overtime without a realistic plan for taking TOIL, and without affecting the taking of annual leave entitlements, should contact the union and will be given support in discussing with their management which of their outputs should be postponed or deleted;
  • All members should record their hours worked and comply with the Working Time Directive;
  • No member should sign her/his rights away;
  • As the department have unilaterally decided that travelling time should not be paid, we must advise all members only to travel during ordinary working hours. Any extra subsistence caused by travelling in working hours will be borne by the department. This should be discussed in advance of travel with you line manager who has delegated authority on this issue.

If you are concerned about any matter arising from the changes or feel that undue pressure is being applied to you or wish to make a complaint please contact your union rep immediately.

Similar restrictions to those announced have already been imposed in CTLB and Land Forces. To-date neither TLB has been able to provide information on the savings that these measures have achieved. We will continue to ask for this information, and until we see evidence to the contrary must assume that any savings are minimal.

Should this be the case the NITU will call for the immediate scrapping of these measures, and we will demand that MoD work with your union to put in place a strategic and coherent way forward for the next period based on joint agreement.

Please contact your union immediately if you have further questions not covered by this letter and we will keep members informed as necessary.


Yours sincerely

 

 

Paul Barnsley         Steve Jary         Mike Weiler
PCS                      Prospect            FDA
 

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