Root and branch review resulting in: Modernisation of Terms and Conditions of Employment

1. Root and branch review resulting in: Modernisation of Terms and Conditions of Employment

2. Principal Changes to Terms & Conditions • Working hours and flexitime • Annual leave and recess days • Special Leave and Carers leave • Time off for Attendance at Court • Public Service Leave • Maternity leave and pay • Adoption Leave and pay • Paternity leave • Sickness Absence Management • Staff Appeals • Time off for medical appointments

3. Rationale for the changes Key reasons: • To enable the Council to become a modern, progressive organisation that delivers the highest levels of service delivery and resident satisfaction. • To improve the Council’s business focus through greater efficiency, maximised productivity and output levels. • To reduce costs and generate meaningful savings. • To enable the Council to respond to current financial challenges • To bring the Council’s Ts&Cs broadly in line with other London Councils and similar organisations.

4. The T&C Working Group established – • To meet on a weekly basis throughout the life of the project • To oversee the smooth development and lead on the implementation of the project • To monitor and assess progress • To discus issues that arise and take decisions • To ensure project is running to time and is on track The Council’s Business Case for modernisation – • Fundamental to the review of Ts & Cs was the development of a sound business case. It clearly shows that implementation of the new Ts&Cs will generate: • Productivity savings of £1 million plus annually • Plus reduced costs of £.5 million annually

5. Consultation and Communication Processes • The consultation process opened on 16 October 2008 • Extensive consultation with trade unions throughout • Briefings for senior managers • Well structured staff consultation: • Staff Focus Groups • Dedicated email address • Dedicated help line • Systematic approach to listening and responding to employee communications • Comprehensive records and paper trail • Council’s Intranet: • Regular updates on Message of the Day as events unfolded

6. Structured assessment of all feedback received • Well defined process for taking feedback on board • Certain aspects of original proposals changed in response to trade union and employee feedback to proposals • Comprehensive PEIA developed • Final set of proposals developed and communicated to employees and trades unions • Letter from CE to all staff outlining the final set of proposals and setting scene for process of formal offer of new terms and conditions.

7. Process of offer of new terms: • Letter 1: Formal written offer of new Ts&Cs with timescale for response • Letter 2 Reminder letter with outline of process if employee continues not to sign up • Letter 3 formal notice of termination of employment and offer of reengagement on new terms • Further reminder letters sent • Different process for employees on maternity leave and on long term sickness • HR Systems in place to enable comprehensive monitoring of responses and non responses • Details analyses of areas where high/low level of sign up • Role of EMT and Assistant Directors in managing areas of non sign up

8. Current Position • Planned 1-1 meetings with employees who have not signed up • 91% sign up to date which is an excellent response • The trade union position • Last day of service is 30 September 2009 for employees who continue not to sign up • Arrangements are in place for ensuring continuity of service in case some employees do not sign up • Planned briefings organised for managers on the detail of the new T&Cs • Implementation date 1st October 2009