ARC Pay Business Case
Members Update – Pay 2020
| The only people that will have a say on any pay offer will be the members a trade union so if any of your colleagues are not currently a union member, please circulate this article which we have made available to non-members and encourage them to join ARC. They can do so here. |
| HMRC have today announced that approval has been given to the business for pay and contract reform. ARC have consistently pressured for a business case to be made, recognising that we have not had a real pay deal in over a decade, and addressing the inequalities and unfairness of the current pay system. Whilst the news that a case has been approved is extremely welcome, it is nonetheless disappointing that it comes in the term of a third ARC President since it was promised to be pursued. We are as frustrated and annoyed at the delay as you are. Our last substantive pay award was in 2008, before pay freezes and arbitrary caps were introduced. At the forefront of our minds is a decade of real terms pay cuts, no progression, additional pension contributions, and token increases that have not kept pace with inflation meaning that your pay is now worth a lot less than it once was. We will now begin negotiations with the Department and those talks are likely to take some months and will be difficult at times. I’ve made it clear to HMRC that ARC want the talks to be concluded as quickly as possible and I’ve committed to make whatever resource is needed from ARC available to make that happen. We will be fighting for the best possible pay offer for ARC members. We haven’t seen the business case yet but there are likely to be some elements that are of benefit to ARC members and equally there may be some elements that are detrimental. I’m not in favour of detrimental changes to terms and conditions but I believe it’s important for ARC to remain in the room even when there are discussions that we don’t like, for us to consider the position in the round and to challenge and help achieve the best negotiated offer which can be put to members to have their say. The nature of the talks means that there won’t be a running commentary on the detail as they progress, but I will keep members updated on where we are in the process. When negotiations are concluded I hope that there will be an offer to be made to members and Helen and I will be arranging pay meetings to talk to our members. I know that the current situation doesn’t make having conversations particularly easy but we will find a way to talk to as many members as possible. If you have any questions, do send them through to [email protected]. |
Loz Hutton
ARC President
[email protected]
