Public and Commercial Services Union

26 January 2009

In September 2008, PCS members across the MGS voted overwhelmingly to accept the revised management proposals for an alternative roster trial.

Our union has now agreed with management that the trial will commence on 1 February 2009 in region 5. The sites where the trial will operate will be Abbeywood, Devonport and Bovington/Blandford (the later will operate the trail on the basis of garrison working).

PCS will be closely involved in policing the trial. Our union has nominated representatives to sit on a joint MOD/trade union project team to evaluate the trial whilst in progress. This joint working group meets for the first time on 26 January 2009.

The working group will meet on a monthly basis until the trial is completed at the end of July. At these meetings we will be assessing a comparison of the trial roster against the performance of the existing rosters during the same period last year.

We will also be assessing, very closely, agreed success criteria for the trial including financial savings, completion of customer tasks, health, safety and wellbeing of PCS members, health and safety of members and the sustainability of the management proposal.

At the end of the trial a full evaluation will be carried out and a further round of consultation will take place before any decisions are taken.

Please note PCS members are urged to contact us with concerns or views on the trial so that we can feed them in to management and also intervene, where necessary, on behalf of members.

Please remember the following points have been agreed with management following negotiations between PCS and the MDPGA on the Trial:

a. There will be no financial detriment to the potential earnings of guards as a result of the change from a five week flexible roster to a four week fixed roster during the period of the trial. The flexible rostering allowance will continue to be paid for the duration of the trial. In addition guards who during the trial work additional weekends will receive the usual premium payments;

b. No guard will be compulsorily removed to day working as a result of the roster reviews;

c. Agreed criteria will be developed to measure the outcome of the trial;

d. All information and statistics regarding the trial are shared with PCS and that total transparency and visibility is guaranteed;

e. The trial will run for 6 months and no other sites will be trialled until the 6 month trial data has been fully evaluated against the success criteria;

f. During the trial, no individual will be compelled to change shifts. If a shift change is required, volunteers will be sought.

Further information

Further updates on the trial will be issued to members and branches as soon as we have it. If any PCS member has any queries about the trial, or is concerned about local management requests or actions please contact one of the following PCS representatives:

Steve Robinson, PCS MOD GEC and Abbeywood (telephone: 0117 91 30355)

John Lyons, PCS MOD GEC (telephone 07899 094394)