Employee relations review update

Report: 5
Date: 21 December 2000
By: Commissioner

Summary

This paper provides an update of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Civil Staff Employee Relations Review, showing progress made and planned next steps.

A. Supporting information

Introduction

1. The MPS civil staff industrial relations framework has remained largely unchanged since its introduction in 1921. A number of factors make it unwieldy and inappropriate to embrace current needs. Accordingly, it was jointly agreed between management and the trade unions that a review was necessary and ACAS was invited to facilitate the development of an updated system. Representatives from across the MPS were involved in the process, some through consultation and others as members of a Steering Group.

Progress report

2. The Steering Group’s work culminated in a partnership framework paper, which set out the responsibilities and expectation of all parties. The framework consists of three documents:

• A partnership framework agreement
• A constitution and negotiation paper
• A facilities agreement and notes for guidance

3. The partnership agreement has been agreed at a high level by all four of the MPS unions:

• Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU)
• Association of First Division Civil Servants (FDA)
• Institute of Professionals Managers and Specialists (IPMS)
• Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)

4. MPS Management Board has also endorsed the agreement.

Business benefits

5. The modernisation of the current system represents government and industry best practice and will bring about the following business benefits;

• a more productive partnership with the unions;
• the involvement of the unions from an early stage in policy/strategy, reducing the potential for conflict;
• better communication and feedback about key issues;
• an opportunity for the MPS and the unions to act as partners in supporting the management of change in the MPS; and
• a more coherent and clearly understood employee relations framework.

6. The new framework directly supports the MPS Mission, Vision and Values as well as the People Strategy and reflects recent employment laws, in particular the Employment Relations Act 1999.

Comparison of systems

7. The main differences between the old agreement and the new framework are:

• a Joint Executive Committee (JEC) will be formed, consisting of two teams; a Management Representative Team (comprising Management Board members) and an Employee Representative Team (comprising union representatives);
• the JEC will meet twice a year within the normal Management Board schedule. This meeting will consolidate existing fora rather than be an additional meeting;
• the Departmental Whitley Council and Joint Industrial Committee will be amalgamated to form a central trade union office;
• earlier consultation about strategic issues and policy development;
• more effective union representation and greater clarity about who representatives are; and a higher profile for union representatives.
• there will be clearer guidelines about local involvement and local relationships for management and staff will be strengthened.

The way forward

8. The Steering Group is now finalising the processes and protocols of how the new agreement will work in practice. The aim is to have a sound structure, with clear guidelines so that management, unions and staff know how the new agreement affects them and what is expected of them. This is being achieved through smaller working groups, again consisting of representatives from across the MPS, who report progress to the Steering Group.

9. Four working groups are looking at the following areas:

• Documentation
• Communication
• Joint Executive Committee structure and below
• Trade union structure

10. The last Steering Group meeting was held on 29 November 2000 and another is planned for 15 January 2001. Good progress is being made and it is anticipated that the new framework will be ready for implementation by the 1 April 2001.

11. The first Joint Executive Committee meeting is booked for 16 May 2001.

B. Recommendation

That the Committee note the progress made to date and the target date for implementation.

C. Financial implications

It is anticipated that the changes will be made on a cost neutral basis.

D. Review arrangements

The Steering Group will review progress made by the individual working groups on 5 January 2001. The MPA will be updated once the work of the Steering Group is completed.

E. Background papers

The following is a statutory list of background papers (under the Local Government Act 1972 S.100 D) which disclose facts or matters on which the report is based and which have been relied on to a material extent in preparing this report. They are available on request either to the contact officer listed above or to the Clerk to the Police Authority at the address indicated on the agenda.

None.

F. Contact details

The author of this report is Michael Shurety.

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback