JTU29-2023 26 June 2023
PROBATION UNIONS SEEK TO RE-OPEN THREE-YEAR PAY AWARD
Napo, UNISON and GMB-SCOOP, have submitted a new pay claim in response to the huge cost of living pressures which our members are suffering and the long term erosion of real terms pay. This claim seeks to reopen the pay settlement covering 2022/23/24 that was agreed by our members last year.
Our new claim is for:
- A 12% increase on all pay points effective from 1 April 2023
- An unconsolidated (one-off) payment of £2,500
- An increase in the value of all Probation Service cash allowances of 12% effective from 1 April 2023.
We believe this is a very reasonable but urgently necessary claim. The reasons we believe a re-opener pay claim is justified include:
- The unprecedented squeeze on living standards caused by large increases in prices, particularly essentials like energy, housing and food
- The cumulative value of Probation staff pay rises from 2010 to 2023 is only 7.6%
- The cost of living has risen by 81.5% from 2010 to 2023
- Just to get back to 2010 real-terms wages Probation staff would need a 68% pay rise
- Probation is suffering a staffing crisis causing ever greater workloads and stress. The increasing number of leavers is “likely attributable to competition in the labour market” according to the HMPPS’ own analysis.
Last year when we were negotiating the three-year pay award, we were told that there was no more money to improve the offer, however just in the past couple of weeks the £1,500 one-off payment announcement shows the Government has the money to improve the pay of Probation Service staff.
With the Retail Prices Index of inflation running at 11.3% in May this year, the three-year pay award is not keeping pace with the rising cost of living. Probation staff deserve better.
Ian Lawrence Ben Priestley George Georgiou
General Secretary National Officer National Officer
Napo UNISON GMB/SCOOOP
The full pay claim can be read here.