Supplementary Memorandum by the Institution
of Professionals, Managers and Specialists (PI 17(b))
Further to my letter to you of 14 April 2000,
IPMS has some further comments for the Select Committee's attention
following the evidence given by the Minister, Mr Raynsford.
PAY
The Minister gave a misleading reply (see Para
629 of report) when he said that Inpectors have felt aggrieved
for "a year or so". Our industrial relations dispute
has been going on since the late 1980s, and has been a matter
of particularly serious concern since 1994-95, when a working
group recommended a new "competence-based" pay structure.
At about the same time a job evaluation exercise indicated that
Inspectors' jobs were substantially undervalued, using standard
Civil Service methodology (JEGS). IPMS members voted to take industrial
action in 1996, which was suspended following an offer in early
1997 from management to implement the proposed new structure within
five years "subject to the financial constraints during that
period".
Secondly, in relation to the Minister's comment
in Para 630, there is no need to set up another independent review
board, if that is a perceived problem. The Senior Salaries Review
Body would be an appropriate organisation to undertake a pay and
grading review for Inspectors.
Recruitment may become a problem sooner than
anyone has envisaged. We understand that the number of applicants
for the most recent trawl for new recruits has fallen dramatically
to under 150, compared to 747 in 1995, 351 in 1998 and 452 in
1999. We suggest that this is a direct result of providing potential
applicants with much more detailed information about pay levels
and likely progression through the grades.
Finally, can we remind the Committee in relation
to the frequent comment from the Minister that there are no serious
difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff in PINS, that equally
there are no such problems in the Senior Civil Service yet their
pay is dealt with via the Senior Salaries Review Body.
Jenny Thurston
Deputy General Secretary
May 2000
| 
