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Row brews as Vosa imposes pay deal
Page 6
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Vosa management and staff are heading for further confrontation following the imposition of a sub-inflation pay rise. Louise Cole reports.
RELATIONS BETWEEN senior management and staff at Vosa nosedived this week as management imposed a pay offer which the unions had advised staff to reject.
David Millar, negotiations officer at the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), says Vosa staff are "very unhappy" with the imposition of an offer worth just 2% for half the workers, given that inflation is running at 3.7%. The unions believe the award has been diluted by the incorporation of other agreements which, they say, should have been funded separately.
The Treasury has taken a hard line with public sector pay; unions say this policy meant "there wasn't enough in the pot".Mi I lar saysVosa management declined to make a joint representation to theTreasury and the Department for Transport to secure more money for the agency. Millar says: "I've never come across such arrogance or disregard for the staffs position."
According to a Vosa spokeswoman: "We're doing what the Treasury tells us. This offer is the best that can be made in the current context of constraint placed on public-sector pay. In the circumstances, we have decided that implementationof the award should take place as soon as possible."
Kevin Warden, Prospect VI section secretary, says: "We appreciate that Vosa is shackled by the Treasury diktat. But it could havechosentouse some of funds available for non-consolidated pay such as family-friendly policies." The unions are balloting mem bers this week, but warn that it may be January before the response can be collated. Millar says: "I forecast an overwhelming rejection."
Three unions are represented at Vosa. Out of a workforce of 2,700, PCS has 805 members; Prospect 569, mainly among technical staff; and Amicus more than 100.
The dispute follows a vote of no confidence in chief executive StephenTetlow passed by Prospect delegates (CM30November).And a staff survey showed critically low belief in management. Only 21% of respondents felt -adequately rewarded for what I do".
• For more on the Vosa staff survey see Louise Cole's blog entry at www.roadtransport.com