NATIONAL FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT FOR THE MODERNISATION OF
PAY STRUCTURES: MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON
ARRANGEMENTS FOR LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION WITHIN THE
UNIVERSITY OF GREENWICH.
1.
Preamble
1.1
The parties to this Memorandum of Understanding are: The University of Greenwich,
UCU, PROSPECT, GMB and UNISON.
1.2
It is agreed by the signatories of this document that the items listed below constitute a
summary of progress made to date on the local arrangements for implementing the JNCHES
Framework Agreement for the Modernisation of HE Pay Structures. It is accepted by all
parties that a formal agreement should be concluded when the University is in a position to
implement all aspects of the National Framework Agreement, including the new grading
structure.
2.
Scope
2.1
This memorandum applies to all University of Greenwich staff covered by the remit of the
JNCHES and to staff in NRI Scientist grades (ie all except Senior Staff appointed directly
by Court staff on a University Senior Management Contract and Professors).
3.
Working in Partnership
3.1
All signatories to this memorandum are committed to working in partnership to reach a
mutually satisfactory implementation of the National Framework Agreement. The Joint
Steering Committee which was established in February 2004 to take forward specific areas
of the Framework Agreement will continue to operate in order to see through the further
work which the Agreement requires.
4.
Single Pay Spine
4.1
It has been agreed between the parties that all staff will be assimilated to the nationally
agreed 51 point pay spine, as extended by 3% intervals to point 55 in order to accommodate
existing operative University grades, with effect from 1 August 2006. Assimilation will be
to the point on the 1.8.05 single pay spine closest to the current incremental pay point
providing that the new spine point is at least equal or higher to the former incremental pay
point.
4.2
Conversion to the single pay spine will not affect existing pay allowances. These will be
retained after assimilation on the same basis pending final agreement on the terms of
transfer to the new grading structure.
4.3
Conversion to the single pay spine will be within the current grade structure and will not
affect normal annual incremental progression to existing grade scale maxima. Pay scales
before and after assimilation showing the increase at each incremental point are included at
Annex 1.
4.4
Subject to the approval of Court at the time, the revised grade scales will be uprated in line
with the increases agreed from 1.8.06 as part of the national pay settlement when this is
finally concluded.
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4.5
Where existing staff have protected incremental progression above the new spine maxima,
this will be retained by means of an allowance which will be subject to review in line with
general pay awards.
4.6
In order to ensure that all staff receive an underpinning benefit from assimilation to the
single pay spine it has been agreed that where the value of the increase due on the 1.8.05
version of the spine does not exceed £242 a “one off” lump sum will be paid on assimilation
to make up the difference between the actual value of the increase and £242.
5.
New Grading Structure
5.1
It has been agreed between the parties that a new grading structure based on the model at
Appendix C in the National Framework Agreement will be introduced as soon as possible in
2006/07 and that a target date of 1st January 2007 should be set. The grading structure will
be underpinned by the Higher Education Role Analysis (HERA) job evaluation scheme,
which will be used for the purpose of ensuring that there is a proper match between the job
weight of posts at comparable levels within the structure.
5.2
In order to assist the process of job evaluation for academic roles it has been agreed that the
national library of academic role profiles including any amendments agreed jointly at local
level will be used to support grading assessments.
5.3.
A list of academic and support grade benchmark roles has been agreed and each role is
being evaluated. The outcome of the benchmarking exercise will be reviewed by the Joint
Steering Committee. The benchmark roles will be used as the basis for a ‘matching’
exercise whereby all roles will be matched to one of the benchmark roles using summary
data relevant to the HERA competency categories. The way in which the matching process
will operate will be agreed by the Joint Steering Committee.
5.4
The matching process is scheduled to commence in May 2006 and is planned for completion
by October 2006.
5.5
It is planned that the final allocation of roles to grades in the new grading structure will be
achieved by the end of December 2006. Staff will have the right to appeal against their
assignment to a grade in the new structure. Such appeals will be considered by an Appeals
Panel consisting of three members of the Joint Steering Committee, one of whom should be
a Trade Union representative. The appeals procedure will be agreed by the Joint Steering
Committee.
5.6
It has been agreed that where staff stand to gain a financial benefit from their assignment to
their grade in the new structure this will be backdated to take effect from 1 August 2006.
5.7
It has been agreed in principle that hourly paid part-time teachers will be assimilated to the
new structure based on job evaluation. The precise details of their assimilation will be
covered in a separate Memorandum of Understanding with UCU which will be ratified by
the Joint Steering Committee.
6.
Pay Protection on Assimilation to New Grades
6.1
It has been agreed that where a post is assigned to a new grade in which the normal
maximum (excluding any contribution points) is lower than the current rate of pay, the
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existing rate of pay of the postholder will be fixed and protected for a period of three years.
Thereafter, the pay will revert to the normal maximum for the new substantive grade, ie not
including any contribution points (unless they have been awarded during this period).
6.2
Where paragraph 6.1 above applies, consideration will be given to the possibility of
changing the responsibilities of the post so that, following re-evaluation, the grading of the
post can be increased. Where, for operational reasons, this is not possible, the postholder
concerned will be offered appropriate staff development with a view to maximise their
chances of an agreed move to a post in a higher grade.
7.
Contribution Points
7.1
The detailed operation and criteria of a scheme for awarding contribution points will be the
subject of future consultation with trade unions, taking account of JNCHES guidance and
emerging practice in the Sector.
8.
Progression between Grades
8.1
It has been agreed that progression between grades should be on an open and transparent
basis and that existing well established career pathways should be retained where they meet
these criteria.
8.2
It has been agreed that the following review-based progression and promotion routes for
academic staff will be retained at the corresponding levels within the new grading structure:



Lecturer to Senior Lecturer Progressions (AC2 to AC3)
Research Fellow to Senior Research Fellow Reviews (AC2 to AC3)
Review for Professorial and Reader Appointments (AC4/5)
Review for Principal Lecturers Appointed for Exceptional Teaching (AC4)
8.3
Staff in the existing Lecturer grade who are assimilated to the AC2 grade in the new grade
structure will therefore progress to AC3 on exactly the same basis as at present when they
reach the maximum of the AC2 scale. Future appointees to the AC2 grade will progress to
the AC3 grade subject to confirmation that the duties undertaken match the nationally
agreed Academic Role Profile. The University has undertaken not to impose constraints on
the progression of teaching staff to AC3 and will seek to ensure that this requirement is met
in each case.
8.4
The University has proposed amendments to its Appointment and Promotion of Staff
Regulations which will remove the expectation that vacant posts will normally be advertised
externally as well as internally. The proposed changes have been designed to encourage the
development of promotion opportunities while recognising the need to ensure an
appropriately balanced workforce. These changes are currently under discussion with trade
unions via JNCs.
8.5
In addition, the University has undertaken to give consideration to introducing promotion
review processes for certain categories or groups of posts within the support grades where
the nature of the work lends itself to fluid grading rather than fixed grading of posts. The
introduction of new arrangements of this kind will be subject to consultation with trade
unions and will take into account the requirement to treat academic and support staff equally
in relation to the application of grading criteria.
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9.
Staff Development and Review
9.1
The University and trade unions have committed themselves jointly to seek to improve the
access to and benefit from staff development opportunities for all employees. Both
University Management and trade unions affirm the value of the staff appraisal system in
assisting this process and will work together to improve its effectiveness in matching
individual aspirations to resources available for staff development. It is jointly recognised
that Management should take responsibility for ensuring that development plans are put in
place equally for longer serving members of staff at their grade maxima as for other staff.
9.2
It has been agreed that staff development should feature regularly as an item on the Joint
Negotiating Committees (JNCs) for academic and support staff.
10.
Harmonisation
10.1
Manual and support staff working hours were harmonised on 1 January 2005 in accordance
with the Agreement No 1 on Harmonisation.
10.2
Additionally, annual leave entitlements for manual and support staff were harmonised on
1 April 2005 in accordance with the terms of Agreement No 2 on Harmonisation.
10.3
London Weighting for Nursery staff employed at the Avery Hill Nursery was harmonised
with the APTC support staff London Weighting rate applicable at Avery Hill Campus
(£3541 pa for the full time rate) with effect from 1 April 2005.
10.4
London Weighting for manual support staff employed at Maritime Greenwich and Avery
Hill campuses was harmonised with the APTC staff rate (£3641) applicable at those
campuses with effect from 1 August 2005.
10.5
Further work to achieve harmonised conditions of service for the academic and support staff
grades where jointly considered appropriate will be undertaken under the auspices of the
Joint Steering Committee.
11.
Attraction and Retention Premia
11.1
In the short term the existing Market Premium Payments Scheme will continue pending a
full review of the scheme which will be undertaken jointly with trade unions under the
auspices of the Joint Steering Committee and will take account of the agreed national
guidance.
12.
Equal Opportunities
12.1
The new arrangements covered in this memorandum will be kept under joint review by
management and trade unions to ensure that they do not have any adverse impact on any
particular group of staff or give rise to imbalances of the workforce with regard to ethnicity,
gender, or age.
12.2
Periodic equal pay audits will be conducted with effect from the full implementation of the
new grade structure. The scope of such audits will be jointly agreed.
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13.
Signatories
David Wills
…………………………………………Date………………………….
On behalf of the University of Greenwich
Gavin Farmer
UCU
…………………………………………Date………………………….
Bridget Leach
UCU
…………………………………………Date…………..………….…
Evie Keane
PROSPECT
…………………………………………Date…………………………
Maureen Donnelly
GMB
…………………………………………Date…………….…………...
Helen Paspatas
UNISON
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…………………………………………Date…………….…………...
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