Update from the Joint Negotiating Council for the Education Authority Trade Union Side

The Joint Secretaries from NIPSA, UNISON, GMB and Unite (JTUS) met with the Mark Browne, Permanent Secretary - Department of Education (DE) and Mark Bailey - Director of Workforce and Martin Monaghan – Workforce Planning Team on 29th March.

The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the implementation of the EA Pay and Grading review, which was submitted to the Department of Education in February 2023.
The meeting was a robust, frank exchange of opinions. The following are the salient points from the meeting.

• The Permanent Secretary and DE Workforce Leads gave very limited support to the implementation of the business case, the extent of support was nothing more than a commitment to investigate the issues raised and solutions contained within the business case.

• The Permanent Secretary and DE Workforce Leads alleged that they did not have knowledge of the costings contained within the business case until a very late point in the process. This is very much disputed by JTUS and the Education Authority.

• The Permanent Secretary and DE Workforce Leads referred to looking further into the consensus that EA and JTUS reached. In plain speak this means unpicking several elements of the submitted business case.

• One of the DE Workforce Leads expressed the view that they see the Support Service side of education as a low pay area. This was robustly challenged by JTUS, for staff to feel valued their pay should not hover above minimum wage.

• The Permanent Secretary and DE Workforce Leads on several occasions pointed to affordability being a key criterion in implementation. There is nothing particularly surprising in this statement but with political stalemate and intransigence in operation it leaves it will create additional hurdles for approval of the business case.

• JTUS sought a timeline for implementation of the Pay and Grading review. No commitments were made beyond the typical “progress it as quickly as possible” response.

• The Permanent Secretary and DE Workforce Leads agreed to improve communication.

JTUS asked for 3 key requests, listed below, and will be followed up in writing to the Permanent Secretary.

• The Department of Education to support the consensus within and implementation of the business case.

• Timely implementation of the Pay and Grading review, with no further delay.

• Tripartite engagement with the Department, EA and JTUS in one room to work through any issues.

JTUS were firm in making the point that industrial action disputes are on the horizon if the Pay and Grading review is not implemented in a timely manner.

To conclude, a lot of the above positioning by the Permanent Secretary and DE Workforce Leads was to be expected and as such no surprise. This is the indicator on the size of the hurdle being out in front of JTUS to overcome. It is now time to organise and plan our fight to overcome this hurdle.