During the autumn term last year the Unison representative told me that meetings with Leicestershire County Council had been successful and that he had negotiated a much better job description on our behalf. In his view, we should be awarded a better salary in due course after the job evaluation exercise was completed. He sent me a copy, which I recognised as the one we had worked on as a group with Unison's help.
Back in January our full-time union representation ceased due to unforeseen circumstances. Two months ago when I received my job evaluation questionnaire to fill in I found the job description had been changed. Points reflecting expertise were omitted, while other points were added which we specifically wished to negotiate away. This diminishes our role.
I have been told the council will not fund awards that are successful on appeal, so we must take the school to tribunal, with all the costs involved. Twenty per cent of us can expect a pay cut, 20 per cent a pay rise and 60 per cent will stay the same. It could be that 80 per cent are unhappy and apply for a regrading.
Can an employer change a negotiated job description without consultation? I believe we were taken advantage of in the absence of a full-time union rep.
Katharine Griffiths, Leicester
