Report from the
Partnership Committee following its meeting held on 28th May 2004
Main Discussion Points
Minutes of the Last Meeting
Minutes of last meeting 2 April 2004 were agreed.
Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.
Progress Report Update
The Progress Report was sent in on time. The Performance Verification Group (PVG) have asked the University to meet with them on 25 June 2004 to elaborate on the report. The President’s Office have asked BM to represent the Partnership Committee.
MF pointed out that the 2% National Pay Award cannot be applied until the HEA have sanctioned payment. If the PVG do not instruct the HEA to sanction payment in time for the July payroll, then the 2% may not be paid in July.
JD asked who else would be meeting with the PVG.
MF replied that possibly Professor Patrick Gibbons and Margaret Ramsay would be present also
JF stated that BM would only be representing half of the Partnership Committee.
MF stated that he understood that there were tensions surrounding the Parallel Benchmarking and that people were unhappy. MF stated that he just received a letter from the HEA regarding the Craft Scales and this would trigger the payments if approved.
JD asked how long in advance would Payroll need the information in order to make the payments.
MF replied that it would depend if the Payroll was weekly or monthly but 6 weeks notice would be the ideal.
MF explained that the PVG have had a number of meetings already with VECs, Institutes of Technology and Primary and Secondary schools and they are only getting around to meeting with UCD now. MF stated that UCD have not been asked to supply any additional information.
JD asked if MF had heard how any of the other meetings went.
MF replied that he had heard the meeting between the PVG and University of Limerick went well.
BM stated that the whole process is damaging to the Partnership Committee.
JC stated that the Government, Trade Unions and Employers met together to agree on the National Pay Awards, however the pay awards are being held up as they are linked to the Benchmarking.
MF replied that the goalposts do change from time to time and that the process is quite ambiguous.
MF stated that the Parallel Benchmarking was the outcome of a Labour Court recommendation issued in October 2003 whereas Sustaining Progress started for everyone else in July 2003. MF stated that he understood that there was confusion and anger surrounding these payments. To trigger the first 25%, certain things needed to be agreed for the parallel benchmarking which delayed the payment.
MF stated that the manual grades were linked to the craft grades and that payment of the first 25% of Parallel Benchmarking to the former would happen on 3 June 2004. An earlier ballot had rejected the initial payment terms requiring a further ballot on revised terms.
GH stated that the confusion and anger was expressed in the last report.
JC stated that the Partnership Committee have fallen out over this whole process.
BM stated that discussing money issues through the Partnership Committee does not work.
JC stated that the Pension discussions worked well through Partnership but that the feeling now is that Partnership is gone. There seems to be one rule for one group and another rule for another.
Web Access
MSF had requested access to the Partnership Committee website in order to provide details on the Union but third parties are not allowed presence on the website. However a link will be arranged on the website to the MSF website.
Robert French e-mailed MF regarding the IFUT website which has not been updated since 2000. Peter Mc Kiernan is to talk to the Vice President for Communications about the removal of the IFUT website.
Joint Secretary
Previously the Joint Secretary of the Partnership Committee with MF was the late Valerie Mc Kiernan. TM has been nominated to replace her and MF e-mailed all three SIPTU representatives regarding this. The main duties are to agree the minutes before circulating them to the Partnership Committee and to agree items on the agenda.
BM stated that the chair rotates each year between Management and Trade Union.
GH stated that he would like to complement MF on steering the Committee and that it would be very useful to have TM to liaise with.
Skillnet Meeting
MF informed the Committee that he received an e-mail from Maureen Brogan regarding a meeting on Friday, June 18 between 1 and 4pm in Haddington Road.
MF also informed the Committee that a session is being held in September involving an overnight stay
Crèche
At the last meeting it was decided that JD would draft a letter regarding the facilities of the crèche and BM would send this to Professor Mary Clayton and John Coman. BM stated that there was a delay sending the letter. BM received the letter but thought that it was a copy and didn’t realise that he had to send it on. This letter has now been sent and copies went to Margaret Ramsay and the Registrar. There has been no response as yet.
JD asked about a second letter which was to be drafted.
BM stated that POR was to draft a second letter which was to be addressed to Margaret Ramsay asking what the University policy is regarding the crèche.
JD stated that Margaret Ramsay should be asked to attend future meetings.
MF stated that he would invite her to the June meeting.
BM stated that the crèche issue would be a major item on the next agenda.
Any other Business
JC enquired as to when the Equality Audit would be complete.
MF replied that it is now almost compete.