RepsDirect No 572 - 9 October 2006



From
Head of Health, Kevin Coyne General Secretary, Derek Simpson

NHS Redundancy Agreement
It was expected that the new redundancy provisions in section 16 of the AfC handbook would apply from 1/10/06 to meet the deadline for the age discrimination legislation. The Department of Health for England has not yet given approval for the new arrangements. The two staff side statements outline the position. After the meeting with the minister next week, you will be advised of the outcome.

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Further information -

STATEMENT BY THE STAFF COUNCIL STAFF SIDE ON NHS REDUNDANCY AND REDUNDANCY RETIREMENT ARRANGEMENTS.
Members may have seen the statement issued by the NHS Employers http://www.nhsemployers.org/pay-conditions/pay-conditions-504.cfm indicating that the Department of Health has not ratified the agreement made between the NHS Trade Unions and the NHS Employers at the Staff Council Executive on the 15th September 2006. We understand that this has come about because of late lobbying by a small number of NHS employing organisations that have live redundancy programmes and who are concerned about the cost of the new arrangements. The outcome of the consultation on these new arrangements showed widespread support for them. Most importantly they remove age discrimination from the NHS redundancy and redundancy retirement arrangements - a requirement that became law on the 1st October 2006. It is unacceptable to the Trade Unions that this agreement, reached in partnership, should be ‘blocked’

The Trade Unions are arranging a meeting with the Department of Health for this week to seek an ‘unblocking’ of these new arrangements and a further statement will be issued following that meeting.

Staff Council Staff Side
3rd October 2006

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STATEMENT ON NHS REDUNDANCY AND REDUNDANCY RETIREMENT
This Statement should be read in conjunction with the Staff Side Statement issued on the 3rd October.

Representatives of NHS Trade Unions met yesterday with representatives of NHS Employers and Department Of Health officials. The meeting clarified that The Minister, Lord Warner has asked his officials to provide more detailed costing of the agreement made by the Staff Council Executive before making his decision on ratification of the redundancy agreement. This decision is expected towards the end of next week.

The trade unions emphasised in the strongest terms the entirely unsatisfactory position they were being put in, having negotiated, consulted upon and signed an agreement with the employers in good faith.

We demanded an urgent meeting with Lord Warner that has now been agreed and will be held next week. Further information will be circulated following that meeting.

Staff Council Staff Side

If you have any question arising from this edition of Reps Direct please contact your Regional Officer.


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