STAFF at the Bank of England yesterday started voting in a strike ballot as Unite, the union representing staff at the bank called on their employer to give them a decent pay deal. The ballot will close on 21st June 2017.
Unite has branded the bank: ‘arrogant and out of touch’. The dispute centres on the derisory pay settlement that the bank has imposed upon staff without the agreement of the recognised union Unite. Staff are angry that they have been given a below-inflation pay offer for the second year running. The result of this pay award is that some staff will get no pay rise in 2017 whatsoever.
Unite is calling on The Bank of England to reconsider its refusal to fairly negotiate the pay of its committed and loyal workforce in order to prevent this industrial action ballot.
The first stage of the action involves staff working in the maintenance, reception and facilities departments. Staff in these departments can earn as little as £20,000 per year and the imposition of a one per cent pay award leaves them and their families facing financial hardship. The dispute has been caused by the imposition of a one per cent increase in the pay ‘pot’ for the pay year, which commenced in March 2017.
• GMB members at Parseq call centre on Doxford Park, Sunderland, are calling on the Health and Safety Executive and Acas to conduct an audit into the application of the working time regulations. This call arises from concerns expressed to the union over the issues of breaks and limits to working hours.
Young people under 18 are required to work longer shifts and have less breaks than the Working Time Regulations state, says GMB Northern Region. There are special Regulations for young workers which limit their working hours to 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. They are entitled to 2 days off each week and a 30-minute rest break if they are working for more than 4.5 hours.
GMB has written to Parseq to request a meeting to discuss a number of concerns which include these issues however to date the company has declined the offer. Chris Preston, GMB Regional Organiser said: ‘GMB members at Parseq have complained to the union that young people under 18 are required to work longer shifts and have fewer breaks than the Working Time Regulations state.
‘Other people aged over 18, who have not “opted out” of the regulations, end up working well above the 48 hour week, averaged out over 17 weeks.GMB calls on the Health and Safety Executive and ACAS to conduct a Working Time Directive audit to check that the law is being adhered to and not being abused.’
